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Final Report Submitted to WWF Nepal Program
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Krishna Kumar Shrestha Sangeeta Rajbhandary, Narenclra Nath Tiu'ari Ram Chandra Poudel, Yadav I.iprety
Ethnobotanical Society of Nepal (ESON) 2003
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Review of Ethnobotany in Nepal
Nlrlnbn Final Report Submitted to WWF Nepal Program
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Krishna Kumar Shrestha Sangeeta Rajbhandary, Narendra Nath Tiwari Ram Chandra Poudel, Yadav Uprety
Ethnobotanical Society of Nepal (ESON)
2003
FOREWORI)
Dr. Chandra P. Gurung Country Representative
WWI Nepal Program Baluwatar, Kathmafldu
PREFACE Ethnobotatry, which includes beliefs, tradition, retigion and culture of the particular community or areas, simply refers to tle relationship between people and pla[ts. It has contdbuted significa,.t]y to the social, economical, cultuEl and eDviroDmental development directly or indirectly. The study of €thnobolany started in the mid-1950s, but or y from the last few decades ils i&portance has been recogised in Nepal. In Nepal, Baneii was the first person to publish papers on medicinal and food plants that initiated the study on ethnobotatry. The main objective of this field is to document the ildigeIrous kno\pledge aboui ttre plants used by differcnt ethnic groups from genemtion to genemtion for their own benefit as well as for the benefit of the society, as plants have dlfferclt values such as foo4 mediche, fodder, fuel, etc. Now, infomation on various aspects ofethnobotany, as used by wide mnge of ethnic tribes are easily available in various lterature pub]ished by different researchers. This docunent is a.o outcooe ofthe rcview work done for various publications rclated to etbrobotany. For the documents, libraries of Tribhuvan University, ICMOD, ruCN, KMTNC, ANSAB, New Er4 Depanment of Forestry, RONAST, Siqh Dwbar Vaidhya Khan4 Keshar Mahal, aDd peEonal collectioos were tlorougbly consulted. h Nepal, information od ethlobotany is mostly concenhated on tle medicinal plants used by diff€rent etbdc groups, followed by various publication on wild food plants, veterinary medicine, fodder, fibre, oil yielding, bio-fertiiiser, poisonous piants, omameDtal, dyes, piscicidal, cosmetic plants, etc. The articles have been rcviewed from books like 'Bir Nighanhrs' a hatrd written herbal ercyclopaedia compiled by Padit Ghana Nath Devkota as well as other books on etbnobotany and medicinal plants, Scientific joumals, Research reports, Ph. D. ard Master's dissertations, magazines and news papers, proceedings ofnational and intenational confercnces, etc.
Similarly, pape6 on different etbnic tribes like Rai, Chepangs, Danuwan, Darai, Kunals, Lam4 Limbus and non- Limbus, MoDgolian tribe, Mooshat, Raute, Sarkls, Satars, Tamang, Newals, ald Tharu, etc. hav€ been reviewed for this purpose. Emphasis was also given to focus on the etbnobotanical literautue of different geographical areas of Nepal, ftom far-westm Nepal to Eastem Nepal, borderbg India, and from low land ofTerai to high mountains of Tibetan plateau. Nearly 600 references related to etbnobotanical stuihes have been assessed, and about two third ofthe refercnces have been thoroughly reviewed so far. Attempt has been made to rcview the entirc literature on etiloboiany of N€paI, published from the ancient to modem era, and written by Nepali aad foreigl ethnobotanists. While rcviewhg lhe litemturq attsntion has been paid to cite the na.ne of authors, daie olpublicatio4 title, Dame of tbe joumal, publisher, aDd page Dumber as well. Moreover, the calls number ofbooks and repons, and holdings il the libnries, edition, price, as well as suDmary of ttre paper and oul rcview have been presented as far as possible. Digital images of the cover page of some selective and iDportant liiemture are also included whenwer possible.
It gives me immense plealule to extend my sincere ilanks to Dr. Chandra P. Gurung and Mr. Anil Marandhar, WWF Nepal Prcg|am for their interest and generous support by providing a grart lo conduct this project. Thanks ar€ also due to Dr. Gbrra S. Guung and Ms. Kala Gurung, for their generous support in preparing this repon. I'm also delighted to thar* my colleagles Dr. Narcndra N. Tiwari, Ms. Sangeeta Rajbhardary, Mr. Ram C. Poudel and Mr. Yadav Uprety for their sincere and untiring efforts to assess and review the etbnobotanical literahr€. Thanks aIe also due to my colleagues aDd staffs of Central DepartmeDt of Bolany, T.U., Kirtipur, and members of Ethnobotanical Socieiy of Nepal (ESON) for their overall support. Finally, I owe my gtatefi. thanks to all the chief executives and librarians ofvarious organjzations for kindly allowing us to consult their libraries.
December 15, 2003
Prof-
Krishni?brestha
Preside , ESON
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document is a compilation or scattered and diverse information pubiished in various lit€ratu€. Ior rhe documenrs, libraries of T.U, ICMOD, ruCN' KMTNC, ANSAB, New Era, Departrnent of Foresis, RONAST, Singh Durbar Vaidbya KJrana, Keshar Mahal, aad personai
coilections were tloroughly consulted as far as possible. Tlere nay be many documents stillio be tracect out aDd many papen are even missed with the author themselv€s. Thus this document shouid trot be taten as a final document but a fairty detailed assenblage of information rcgading the litenture found in books, joumals, proceedings newsletteB, bulletins, newspapers, as welias retods regardi[g the documents otr etbnobotany, plant resoffce utilisation. applied e*Dobotany, r".o*..r--_u-g"_"nt, .lh" docum€nt is expected to provide a widc,ralrge_of information ior rhose working "1". and on ethaobotany rclated fields to documeni aDd presewe the dadirioDar knowredge of ethnic grouis and biodiversity of N.pal.
The.reporl has been an'anged in the following format: General backgouDd aDd rntroductio4 pbysiography, topogaphy, vegeration and flom, along with popuiation, relilion, language, ano ethnic people, as well as economic botany and etlmobofany ofNepal in the hrst cliapter. Some-basic concept on the rcview of ethnobotanicar literature, objectives, mithods and lirnitation is presentear in the second chapter.
In the prccess of the review work, all the documents collected are categorised into following five and are reviewed accordingly. The categories are: General edrobotany (denoted bt A), :-ateggne: U_sefi.d_ plant resources (B), Applied €rhnobor"ny (C), Resource Management an"d potrcy (D), aad Miscellaneous (E).
In Nepal, information oD ethnobotany is mosrly concentrated on the medrcinal ptarts used by difi.erent ethnic groups, followed by various publicatioDs on wild food plants, \ ererinary medicine, fodder, fibre,
oil peldilg, bio fertiliser. poisonous planls, omarnental, dyes, piscicidal, cosmetic plants, ctc. The aftrcies bave been reviewed from books like .Bir Nighantus, a ha[d w.ittetr herbal encyclopaedi4 compiled by Pandit Ghaia Nath Devkota, as well as other books on etbnobotany and medicinai planls, bulletins, scieDtific jormals, research reports, ph. D. and Master.s dissenations, papers. nes\ielters. proceedings
ol narional atrd intemarioDal confeFnces
magazines anj news
e1c
This review work has become a part of the leaming phase ofthe past and present work so far carried out lD_ ethnobotany and related field, and aims to build knowledge foi future perspectrves. As an achievement from the rcview work based on the above category foliowing outputs have be€n achieved
. . . . .
:
Numbers of documents on key areas such as basic human neeals (food, fuel, fodocr, consrrucuon material), Trade and markethg, heahh care (use for medicine and healing), animal nutritiotr and veterhary medicine, ethnobotany applied to conservation and develoDmeDt. etc. IdeD!ficatron ofgaps in ethnoboLatrrcal IiLeraEres in Nepal. Providing a synopsis ofethnobotany litemrures. Listing out the ongoing work on ethnobotany. Recommending further research in ethnobotany to address coflservatiol and developmeru lssues.
The selected list of28 books (this includes edired aarl authored books), 9 bulleths OotI national and irtemational), 40 joumals (borh mtional and intematioDal), 8 magazirr"s (Nado;), 3 Dewslette r. 2 newspaper (tocat), 25 proceediags (both n;fonal and intenntional), lb"ll,l",tP_-!:,,.:liotrat Kep-ons - r (rNLiu. NcO. institutes. organisatiom), theses (Masters ph. r
or
Scrence. Art aod Humanitiesl, provided along with a pie chart.
9 bistorical
aad D. of different faculties manuscripts, and data,s on microfische have been
within th€ last thirty years, organised fierd-works among 26 cast€/etbnic tdbes have been iouDd to b€ undertaken by individuals' different orgadsations, institutiorx and in the university whlch is presented
through figures. Ethrobolanical works undertat€n by ethnobotanists in 53 districts olNepal and have recorded liom the reviewed documents and presented in the map ofNepal.
nfal
people of Nepal residing in different physiographic conditions frequently uses rcferences to planis particularly the flowers ard fiuits in folk songs, talesr pbr-ases and proverbs. These folklore rcfers to important chamcteristics featues ofth€ plants, uses and also p.ovides expression ofpeculiar believes and livelihood. Some ofthe folk proverbs and Dhrases tbat usuallv come across have been cited wittr some rcfercnces,
The
Name of various institutions and organisations with their completed and ongoing research is also bdefly presented, finally the conclusion ol lhe whole work along with the futu.e perspectives on differcnt field is suggested for the benefit ofthe couniry and the people is highlighted. The review of various documents avarlable on ethnobotany and related field is in the fourth chapt€r. Arcund 600 references on ethnobotaDical alld rclated studies have been assessed. and aboDt 450 refercnces have been thoroughly reviewed so far. Attempt has been made to review the entire literatue on ethnobotany of Nepal, published &om th€ ancient to modem era, and written by Nepali and foreigD ethnobotanists. While reviewing the literature, attention has been paid to oite the name of authors, date ofpublication, title, name oflhejoumal, publisher, and page number as well. Moreover, the calls number of books and reports, and holdings in the lib.aries, as well as review of the paper arc provided as far as possible. Digiral images of the cover page of some selectiv€ and importait litemture are also rncluded whenever possible,
The entire document is followed by a master list ofplant resources ofabout 805 plant species used for various puposes by different ethnic groups in differcnt region of Nepal in the fifth chapter. Author index, General subject index and Title index is theo ncluded for easy convenience for the readers in the form of aDDendices-
CONTENTS Foreword Preface Executive Summary
Abbreviations and Acronyms
1. rNTRODUCTION............-.--........ 1,1
Physiography
1.1.1 1.1,2 1.1,3 1.2 1.3 1.4 1-5
Terai: The lowland rcgron The Ilimalayas
1 1
7
Topography
2
Vegetation and Flora
3
Population, Religion and Languages Ethnic Groups
4
1.5.1 1.5,2
4
The Tibeto-Nepdese origitr The Indo-Nepal€s€ ard Mongoloid origitr
6 7
RE\aIEW OF ETITNOBOTANICAL LITERATURE.................................. 8
2.1 Background 2.2 Objectives 2.3 Methods 2.4 Structure/Format of the report 2.5 Categories of [thnobotatrical literature 2.6 Limitations
3.
I
The middle rang€s and the itrner-hrmalayrs
1.6 Economic botany 1,7 Ethnobotany
2.
............................
8 8 8 9 9 9
TRENDS AND GAPS IN TIIE ETIINOBOTANICAL RESEARCH IN NEPAL 10
3.1 3.2 3.3
Brckgroutrd
10
Archaeologicalliterature
1J
Modern Literature
3.3.1 3.3.2 3.3,3 3.3,4
15
Journals
l5 t7 l7
Magazines
18
Books
Bulletins
3.3.5 Newsletters 3.3.6 Newspapers 3.3,7 Proceedings 3.3.8 Project and Research 3,3.9 Master degree theses
18 18 18
reports
l9 20
3.4 Ethnobotanical literatures in chronoloeical order 3.5 Ethnic groups and districts 3.6 Folk lores and Ethtrobotany 3,6.1 Background 3.6.2 Major refetences 3.7 List of organizations and experts involved in Ethnobotanical 3.8. Presedt concept atrd fufure scope 3.8.1. Background 3,8.2. Scope 3.8.3. Briefprofiles of Institutions,
20
,7
research
25
experts, recenflycompleted projects and on-going activities/projects
3.9, Consumer Oriented Research
25
26 28
REVIEW OF ETHNOBOTANICAL LrTERA.TURE..........-................... 29 5.
ETHNOBOTANICAL USEFIJL PLANTS OF NEPAL..,....,.............,.,... 145
6.
APPENDICES.....-. 1.
Author index General
ildex
Title index
....................190 190
204 206
List ofTables Table 1.
List ofthe etbnic groups, in order ofpopulation percentage
Table 2.
Catalogue ofHand written Aprvedic Litemture on Medicinal Plants and Traditional Knowledge in the National Archives (in chronological order)
Table 3
Master list ofEthnobotanical useful plants ofNepal
List of Figures Fig.
Representation of publication falling in different categories
1
Number ofreviewed publicatioDs on panicular categories of ethnobotary in general and various other uses ofplant resources Percentage of documents from the respective publications
Number of ethnobotanical and rclated aiticles published in different joumals Chronological order ofpublications, number ofpublications versus year publications
of
Number oflitemture on the particular ethnic group
Uoctors of Philosophy
pp.
Pages
PRA
Participatory Rumt Appraisat
RECAST
Research Centle for Applied Science and Technology
RONAST
Royal Nepral Academy of Science and Tecrurorogy Sociologicat and Antbropologicat Society of Nepal Society for the Conservation and Development ofHimalayan
SASON SCDHMR
Medicinal Resources) sp.
Species (Singdar)
spp.
Species (Plural)
T,U TAlTUCL
Tribhuvan University
U.P. LTNESCO
VDC
wHo
E
Terai Arc LaDdscape
TribhuvanUniversiry Cenu"l Library Uttar Pradesh United Nations Educational Scientific and Culturat Orgalization Village Development Committec
World Health Organization Wodd Wildlife Fund
ASBRE\'IATIONS AND ACRONYMS A,D
,4,u o Dom,,'j (Aner Death of Chrisr)
ADB FINNIDA ANSAB
Asian Development Bank
B.Sc
Bachlor of Science
BS
Bikram Sambat
CDB
Central Departnent of Botany
CFLK
Central Forestry Library, Kathrnandu
CFUG
Community Forest User Group
CITES
Convention on Intemational Trade ol Endange.ed Species ofFlora
Finnish Development AgeDcy Asia Network lor Sustainable Agriculture and Bioresouces
and Fauna
DMP
Department of Medicinal Pla[ts
DPR
Department of PlaDt Resources
ECOS
Ecological Society
eds.
Editors
ESON
Ethnobotanical So€iety of Nepal
FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization
HMGAI HPPCL
His Majesty's Govsmment ofNepal
IBN ICIMOD
Institute of Biodiversity Inaemational Cedre for IDtegmted Moudain Development
IK
IDdigenous knowledge
ITDG
Inlemediate Tecbnology DevelopmeDt Group The World Conservation Union Katbmandu Udversity National Herbarium and Plant laboratories, Godhavari
ruCN
K,U KATH KIlARDEP
Herb Production & Processing Co. Ltd.
KMTNC
Koshi Hill Area Rural Development Picgram King Mahendn Trust for Naturc CoDseNation
K}?
Kluptad National Park
M.A
Mastem
ofArls
M.S
Masters
of
M.Ed M.Phil
Mastels of Education
M.Sc MAPs
MBCA MoFSC
NACL NAMSS NCST
NEFTIB
Science
Masten of Philosophy Master of Science Medicillal and Aromatic Plants Makalu Barun Conservation Area Ministry ofForests & Soil Conservation Naradevi AFrveda Canpus Library Nepal Ayurveda Medical Students Society National Council for Science and Tecbnolugy Nenal Fdrc+n/ T--r.-;--r D.."^.i-
1.
INTRODUCTION
"The natural showroom ofbiodivelsity" is given the name to N+al with its geological, ecological and climatic vadation that has created a unique wealth of platrt life, the sowce txaditioDally of a gleat va.iety of he6al medicines, wild food, fodder, etc. The altitudiral gradients coverhg cri and fal$ Himalaya{ rcgion coven all shades of climate from tropical to alpine and even to dry desertic in traN Himalayan, rcsulting in environmeDtal diversity giving Nepal's ecosyslem a unique walth ard variety. Nepal houses about 6,500 species of flowering plants, of which over 370 species are fouDd to be endemic. EveD though Nepal shares only 0.1% of the total land area of the world, ii still hadours 2.2 % of the world's floweriflg plants. The species divercity in the country also represeDts dilfercnt floistic elements fiom Palearctic and Mediterranean to the Indo-Malavan and the East Asian flora. Nepal lies at an intervening zone of diflerent phfogeogr_aphical and zoogeographical zones. Broadly, Nepal lies at itre junction oftwo major ph),togeographical divisions of the worl4 the Holarctic Kingdom i! the no.th and the Paleotropical Kingdom in the south. Moreover, u ten|s ofthe regional phltogeographical demarcations, Nepal is situated on the crcss roads ofmany flo.istic regions such as Sino-Japanese (throughout Nepal), bano-Turanian (in the norttr-wes!), Central Asiatic (ir tle nofth), South-East Asiaa-Malaysiar (itr the south-east), lndian or lndo-Gangetic (in the south) and SudanoZambiatr (in the south-*est).
The cdsis posed by the surroundirg eDvironmmtal mismanageDeDt at aI) accelemtecl mte rs a]l alarming threat to biodiversity. Most trotable mismaDageme are cherrical pollutioD, over exploitation ofnatural rcsources,Iarge scale physical i::terventions resultrng in chang€ in the use ofthe laad, waler and growth in population leadiDg to habitat deshuction. Scientists estimate that over tle Dext 25 yeals, morc than a million species of plants and admals will become extiDct (Ebrlich and wilson 1991; MuDn 1991; Mayen 1988; Wilson 1988). Most ofthese extinction will occur in the troplcs wbere the pressure of povefiy and population gowth and lack of techrical alrd scieffific ini:astructure make conse atioD eflorts exremely difficult (DaLDeier, 1992). Nepal is experienchg pressure oD forest mrd vegetated areas from a fast grcwing populatioD and a faster chaage of land use in rcsponse to development needs ofthe country- Between 1975 and 1980, 15 % of Nepal's remaining forests werc destroyed. If Nepal were to lose its remainiDg humid tropical forcsts, it has been estimated that, ten species of higlly valuable timber, six species of fibre, six species of edible ftuit he€s, four species of traditional medicinal hert and some 50 species of little known trees and sbrubs would be lost foreve. ID addition, the habitat for 200 species of birds, 40 species of mammals and 20 species of reptiles and amphibians would severely be affected (HMGN/ruCN, 1988). 1.1
Physiognphy
Nepal is a small Himalayan kingdom, that extends along the great HimalayaD range south-eastward from 80'04'E and 88"12'E longitude for some 800km. It has an area of 1,47,18Isq. Ion and altitude ra[giDg from 60-200m in the south and reaches the highest peak 8,848m in the North with latitude of 26'22'N and 30'27' N. Geologically, Nepal comprises three major surface features, ttr€ HimalaFs in ttre north, the middle ratrges and tbe irurer Himalayas i.n the middle and dle Terai plain o[ the south. Within this general framework there are many l€rieties and complexities of landforms. 1.1,1
Terai: The lowlsnd region
The footlill ofNepal on the south is occupied by vast stretch of lowla!4 fertile aid alluvial plains of the Temi. The Terai is called "gr_anary" of Nepal, and occupies an area of 8,81 1 sq. miles. Its width vades fiom 10-30 miles from easlem to westem Nepal. The eastem Terai is long and wide, but the westem part is broken and narow. On the nonh of this regiotr, therc is an expansion of coDtinuous narow belt of lard covered with ma$hes and foresi ftom Mechi fuver on the East ad Mahakali fuver I
otr the w€st IocaIIy knowr as the "Charkose Jhadi", and the landform as tbe "Bhabar". This is followed by narrow ridge of mountaijls about 700- 1500 m called the 'Churia ltange" and then abruptly il1 steep, almost perpendicular escary)ments. This successior of narrow parallel ridges ar€ separated by more or less bmad longitudinal valleys, known as the "duDs", which are a prominent feahues of certain section
ofNepal. 1.1.2 The middle ranges and the inner Eimalayas
The middle ratrges consist of highe. mountains cut iDto deep ravines and prccipitous defiles, which spreads fiom the Himalayas in the north to the Churia Range in the south, known as the MalEbharata l€kh. A well defined ranges ol mountains well developed in eastem and centEl Nepal and poorly developed in westem Nepal. Its lidges gener-ally prcsent a steep escarpmeDt towards the south and relatively gently slopes toward tle north, followed by middle hili valleys. Between the main Himalayas and {he mountain raDges ofMahabharat, therc ar€ surface plahs and lowla:rd, called valley basins. The Kaihmandu Valley, the basin of Pokhara, Rampur Pha ofPalpa, Tumlingtar, Rumjatar, and otlrcr wide level plains are ttre valleys of Nepal. As many mountains $rrouDd these basins the ele tion and are not of rmifonn level. The soil of basin lands is very fertile wherc intensive farming is elegance, 1.1.3 The Eimalayas
This region tucludes the main Himalayas ofNepal. It is made up ofthe folds or mnges witl a series of parallel north-south ridges flarking deep, Darrow southward sloping valleys aDd high snow peak stretching from east to west. A number of higlest peaks iD ihe world ar€ situated in t}lis very pa(. Besides the mountaitr ranges, here are maay lakes formed by glaciers and alnost all rivers of Nepal originates in the Himalayas either by the melting of glaciers or by spring aDd flow towards the south. Below the snowline lies lhe alpine tlpe of pastures with many fems al1d herbs. North of the main EiJtralayan chail lie the lDner Himalayan valleys and Tibet, These large valleys are Humla, Mugu, l,angu, Thak klol4 Manang and Khumbu. These are regarded as the r€al "high mountairl valleys of Nepal surrounded by snow capped mountaini. No(h ofthis part Iies tle Tibetan marginal mountains. 1.2 Topography
The topography of tbe country aDd the moisture-laden monsoon from the Indian Ocean has direct effect oD Nepal's climate. the complex arrangernents ofthe landforms rcsults in differenc€s to sunlight exposure and monsoon \i/inds that make climatic differences in adjaceDt areas, thercfore, a wide range of climatic condition exit in Nepal. 'fhe ternpemture decreases v/itl increases in altitude and amual minfall increases from west to east ofthe countrj/. In th€ high Hiftalayas there is snow with cold winds blowing in t-he evcdng. Winlers are long and severc, while sumlners are short and cool and p€rmanent frost prevails. At the high elevation the atmosphere is very cold and the summer monsoon generates heavy rainfall. Some places at the foot of tle mourtains and others in the Terai have hot and damp climate. ln the Terai region, there is hot reet sulnmer ard mild dry wifter. Durjng sununer there is more rain in the eastem Nepal than in the westem region, but due to westem cyclonic winds blowing ftom the Mediteimrean Se4 westem Nepal gets more rain ill whter thalr eastem region. This variation in t]e climate is due to the topography of the country where the elevation is the highest in the north and declines progessively towards the south, which also affects the habitat, vegetatiod, flora and faum. Due to the differcnce in the altitude, the country may be climatically divided into five differeDl climatic regions viz. tropical, sub'Oopical, temp€rate, sub-alpiDe aDd alpine.
l
13 Vegetrtion and Flora Due to the climatic contmsts, physiography, and edaphic condition, vegetation R?es in Nepal raDges from the tropical luxuriance forest in the south to the alpine zone in the nodh. There are sweml classificatioD proposed by differeDt natualists for the vegetation t!?es ofNepal. According to Stainton (1972) ", 35 types of forest have b€en described on the basis of the levels of altitude and with different t?es of climate. Different forest twe that has beeD categorised oD the basis of the altitude and differcnt t?es of climate is represented under the five vegetation zones: Tropical zone, Subtropical zong Temperate zone, Sub-alpine zone, tBd Alpine zoue.
1.
Tropical zone includes large arcas ofthe Terai, Churia hills, Bhabar and the DuDs valleys. Major of this zone is Sal (Shorea robusta) forest, Tropical aleciduous riverine forest and hopical evergreen forest. In the Sal forest Shorea robusta altzins its optimum glowth where they make pure stands. With some other species iike Terminalia belliica, T. chebula, Adina cardifolia, Butea monospermo, etc Along the sheams of Bhabar aDd the Duns valleys sal forest is replaced by the Tropical deciduous .iverine forest. In poorly dmined areas, large stretches of elephant grass (Saccharum bengalense) and Kans (Sacchatllm spontaneumi) studded with cllntps of Accac{a catechu (l