Abstract

ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF ENTADA PURSAETHA DC: AN ENDANGERED GIGANTIC WOODY CLIMBER OF FABACEAE IN EASTERN GHATS OF KOLLIHILLS, TAMIL NADU, INDIA

Valarmathi S.* and K. Raju

Abstract

The Fabaceae family has more than 18, 000 species of flowering plants. Fabaceae are traditionally an important uses in day to day human diet, and also more number of essentially useful compounds in curing diseases. Tribals are using many species of Fabaceae in their lives. Most of the uses are still unknown to researchers than Tribals. Entada pursaetha is a large, woody climber of Fabaceae family, it has bipinnate leaves; leaflets are oblong-ovate, obtuse. Flower is pale yellow, in panicled spikes. Pods woody, large; seeds circular, compressed and is also considered an endangered species. Many uses for this plant were known as a result of the surveys conducted by the researchers at different localities in Eastern Ghats. These surveys helped to considerably sharpen our knowledge about this species. The tribals are selling the plant seeds to industry for many purpose like soap etc.

Keywords: Entada pursaetha DC., Giant pods, Malayali Tribals, Gigantic liana.