Medicinal and edible uses of family Begoniaceae by tribes of Namdapha Biosphere Reserve and its vicinity

Abstract

Family Begoniacae is represented by single genus Begonia L. and 65 species from India. Begonias are distributed mostly in tropical and subtropical forests of medium altitude across the globe. The present study was carried out during the Revision of the family for Flora of India Project by Botanical Survey of India. Detailed morphological account and economic importance of the species used for various purposes viz. medicinal, edible, insect and leech repellant etc. by the tribes inhabitating in and around Namdapha Biosphere Reserve are recorded in this paper. Altogether 8 species are found to be used by the tribes of the area out of which 5 are endemic. All the species belong to the Sect. Sphenanthera except B. josephii.