Distribution and traditional medicinal knowledge about rainy season medicinal weed flora in Bagbahera, Chhattisgarh (India)

Research Note - Pankaj Oudhia
© 2001,2002,2003 Pankaj Oudhia - All Rights Reserved

Weeds are unwanted and undesirable plants which interfere with the utilisation of land and water resources and thus adversely affect human welfare. They can also be referred to as plants out of place. In crop lands and forests, weeds compete with beneficial and desired vegetation, reducing the yield and quality of produce. But it is also true that while all unwanted plant are weeds, all weeds are not unwanted plants. Scientists around the world are working hard to find out different uses for weeds. Weeds are not unwanted plants for practitioners of Ayurvedic and other traditional systems of healing. For them, weeds are potenital sources of valuable life-saving drugs. In additional, allelopathic and industrial uses of common weeds have been reported. Many studies conducted at the Department of Agronomy, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur (India) have revealed that weeds are a boon for the farmers. With the help of information available in ancient and modern literature, farmers can utilize these so-called unwanted plants (i.e. weeds) to generate additional income. Chhattisgarh is rich in bio-diversity. Many medicinal weed flora in Chamra nallah watershed area, Bagbahera (Dist. Mahasamund), India, detailed weed survey and ethnobotanical survey was conducted during Kharif, 1999. A detailed floristic survey using multistage random sampling was conducted during rainy season. The annual rainfall in this region ranges from 800-1000 mm. The targeted villages were phoolvari, Maulimuda, Kassibahera, Navadih, Basladabri, Bhadrasi, Bihajhar, Basti Bagbahera, Kalyanpur, Tendukona, mongra pali, Saraipali, Bhaluchuan, Litiadadar,Khairat, Kulia, Kasekera, Kusmara, Kumharimuda, Bagar pali and Pandarikhar. Weed studies. Weed studies were carriedout following the list count method suggested by Raju and Reddy using 50 x 50 cm quadrate. Sampling was done randomly at 200 spots in various situations. The compiled data were analysed for obtaining quantitative and qualitative information using the following formulae.   Table 1 Total no. of individuals of a species in all quadrates  1. Absolute density = ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Total no. of quadrates employed Absolute density for a given species 2. Relative density(%) = ----------------------------------------------- X 100  Total absolute density for all species  Quadrates in which species occurs 3. Absolute frequency = ------------------------------------------- X 100 Total no. of quadrates species Absolute frequency value for a species 4. Absolute frequency = --------------------------------------------------------- X 100 Total absolute frequency values for all species 5. Importance vlaue(IV) = Relative density + Relative frequency Importance value 6. Summed Dominance Ratio = ---------------------------   Table 2 Some prevailing uses of medicinal weeds Summed dominance ratio (SDR) S.No. Weed species Uses 1 Aeschynomene americana As cattle feed 3.5 2 Cassia tora Seeds as a source of additional income; Pot herb; in treatment of rheumatism and skin troubles 1.6 3 Sporobolus diander As cattle feed 0.2 4 Sida acuta For making broom; As ethnomedicine for the cure of boils 2.1 5 Celosia As pot herb. 0.3 6 Cyperus sp. As source of an additional income, Nuts for preparing insense sticks; Nuts also in many diseases with other herbal medicines. 3.8 7 Cynodon dactylon As cattle feed, To stop bleeding. 10.3 8 Leucas aspera As pot herb. 8.5 9 Thysanolaena procera For making broom; Decoction of root is useful in mouth diseases 26 10 Xanthium strumarium Prickly involucre is tied around the head to ease headache 16.6 11 Acanthospermum hispidum For treatment of rheumatism. 3.8 12 Eclipta alba As black dye for hairs; Herb for respiratory diseases; Toothache and headache 0.1 13 Solanum xanthocarpum For worship by local quackes. 0.8 14 Asparagus sp. Root with milk as tonic. 0.5 15 Achyranthes aspera As a source of manure; In case of venomous bites; Roots with red string to cure fever. 0.5 16 Cleome viscosa For skin diseases. 2.2 17 Tephrosia purpurea As a source of additional income 0.3 18 Euphorbia hirta To cure respiratory diseases; As pot herb 3.3 19 Calotropis gigantea For rheumatism 1.3 20 Datura stramonium For respiratory diseases 7.7 21 Tridax procumbens To stop bleeding 8.5 22 Phyllanthus species To cure jaundice. Information on medicinal, allelopathic and industrial uses of these weeds was collected from reference literature. Information on ethnobotanical uses was through a acquired specially prepared questionnaire. The study on intensity revealed that more than 56 weed species infest the wasteland in the region. Out of these 56 weeds, over 28 weeds found in abundance. These weeds belong to more than 8 families. Data presented in table I reveal that Cassia tora and Cynodon dactylon have high degree of sociability and form into large colonies under arable soil habitat. Many weeds like Acanthospermum hispidum and Calotropis gigantea were found as isolated individuals in the weed community.  Data given in Table 2 on the distribution pattern reveal that Cynodon, Borreria and Dactyloclenium species recorded higher importance value and were found dominant. It is clear from the data on summed dominance ratio given in table 2 that Cynodon registered the maximum value followed by Dactytoctenium. Lower importance values were noted in the case of Cleome, Euphorbia, Solanum, Ischaemum, Sporobolus, Thysanolaena, Ocimum species. The villagers of Chamra nallah watershed area use about 20 weeds for medicinal and other purposes. During the survey, 16 weeds were identified as potential weeds that can provide additional income to the farmers. These weeds include Cassia, Sida, Cyperus, Leucas, Thysanolaena, Xanthium, Eclipta, Ocimum, Solanum, Asparagus, Achyranihes, Tephrosia, Euphorbia, Calotropis, Datura and Phyllanthus species. Various medicinal, allelopathic and industrial uses of these weeds are well documented in the available literature.  It was also noted that in national and international drog markets, there is a heavy demand for different parts of these weeds. The study suggested that there are tremendous possibilities for utilizing these weeds for providing additional income to the farmers. Asparagus sp" a valuable medicinal plant, was found growing as a weed in the region. Exceptionally high populations of this medicinal plant were observed in wastelands of Bhadrasi, Basti Bagbhera and Litiadadar villages. The study also suggested that there is strong need to document the ethnobotanical uses of common weeds and to test the authenticity of their uses. The survey on ethnobotany revealed that younger generation is IMS aware of ethnobotanical uses as compared to the older generation. It was also noted that many village level drug purchasers (or middle man) were collecting these valuable weeds from villagers at very low rates. For example, the rates of 'Gondla' (Cyperus sp.), a potential source of additional income for villagers during free periods in May-June, changes from 50 paise to 1 Rs./kg (fried nuts at village level to 25 Rs/Kg (1US$ = Rs. 48.00 app.) dried nuts in the national market By selling Gondla at a very low rate the farmer family earns Rs 1000-1500 (on average) daily up to 3-4 weeks.  Villagers can earn much more it they sell it directly in the national market. Due to lack of information regarding its uses and the potential national market, villagers are unable to earn much. It was noted that about-95% villagers were not aware of the potential uses of Gondla. They are just collecting the abundant weed from the nallah and selling it to traders of Tendukona village. According to the traders of Tendukona, they sell the nuts in Saharanpur and Kannoj where large perfumery industries are situated. Some traders are selling these nuts to Ayurvedic pharmacies situated in U.P. and Delhi. Generally, the traders of Tendukona village prefer to sell the nuts in Bagbahera and Mahasamund markets it reaches the national market from Bagbahera and Mahasamund at fairly high rates. By educating the farmers about utilization of weeds, particularly this weed, and establishing village level cooperative societies, we can provide a strong base for them to start cottage level industries for processing and grading different weed parts collected. For achieving these targets, joint efforts of governmental and non-governmental agencies and villagers arc essential.