2014, Vol. 2, Issue 3, Part A

author(s)
Neli Lokho Pfoze, Mechuselie Kehie, Highland Kayang, Ashiho A Mao

abstract
In the present investigation, literature survey on ethnobotanical plants published by different workers was conducted to records data on ethnobotanical uses of plants by the indigenous Naga tribal community. A total of 37 published papers covering about 13 different tribes of the Naga were investigated. Analysis of the taxonomic diversity recorded a total of 628 species belonging to 398 genera and 146 families. Of this, about 73.88% (464) of the species are used as ethnomedicine, 27.23% (171) as edible plants, 13.69% (86) as edible fruits, 5.73% (36) as dyes, 4.30% (27) as fish poison, 1.60% (10) as fermented food and beverage, 1.75% (11) as fodder and pasture grass and about 7.96% (50) for other uses. Further analysis of the species from different taxonomic groups showed that about 95.06% belongs to angiosperms (78.18% dicots and 16.88% monocots) and the remaining 4.94% are from gymnosperm, pteridophytes and edible mushrooms. Moreover, 176 species have been listed to have more than one category of used. This study is an attempt to present the most comprehensive and detailed list of ethnobotanical plants of the Nagas of Northeast India.