Underutilized Plant Species in Far West Nepal

作     者：Ripu M.KUNWAR Laxmi MAHAT Lila N.SHARMA Keshab P.SHRESTHA Hiroo KOMINEE Rainer W.BUSSMANN 

作者机构：Centre for Biological ConservationKirtipur-3NayabazarKathmanduNepal GPO Box 19925Kalanki-1444600KathmanduNepal Natural History MuseumSwayambhuTribhuvan University Hatai ClinicKYG Iryoukai Medical Association2-47-22 Togo Iryou Building 1F NakachoTokyoJapan William L.Brown CenterMissouri Botanical GardenSt.LouisMO 63110USA 

出 版 物：《Journal of Mountain Science》 (山地科学学报（英文）)

年 卷 期：2012年第9卷第5期

页      面：589-600页

核心收录：

学科分类：12[管理学] 0709[理学-地质学] 0819[工学-矿业工程] 0303[法学-社会学] 120301[管理学-农业经济管理] 1203[管理学-农林经济管理] 0818[工学-地质资源与地质工程] 0708[理学-地球物理学] 0705[理学-地理学] 0815[工学-水利工程] 0816[工学-测绘科学与技术] 0706[理学-大气科学] 0813[工学-建筑学] 0704[理学-天文学] 0833[工学-城乡规划学] 0713[理学-生态学] 0834[工学-风景园林学（可授工学、农学学位）] 

基　　金：Missouri Botanical Garden  MBG 

主　　题：Underutilized plants Relativeimportance (R/) Ethnoveterinary use Conservation Nepal 

摘      要：Underutilized plant species help to alleviate common food insufficiencies by providing alternative food supply. They also complement primary health care, furnishing raw materials where the cultivation of staple cereal crops is least feasible and health care is pursued indigenously. Research and promotion of extraction, utilization, and conservation of underutilized species lead to exploration of new staple crops and motivate people to consume in a sustainable manner. The present study describes the current status, uses, and management of underutilized plant species in Far West Nepal. The relative importance of 49 underutilized plant species was computed employing a Relative Importance (RI) technique. The use-values assigned to the species fall into six use-categories: beverage, fodder, food & edible, medicinal, vegetable and veterinary. A total of 22 species appeared in multiple use-categories, while the rest were characterized by a single use-category. Based on relative importance and frequency, Ficus semicordata, Debregesia longifolia, Girardinea diversifolia, Hydrocotyle nepalensis, Garuga pinnata, Aloe vera and Pyrus pashia offer the most potential for future. Underutilized plants proved important to folk medicine and food. These species persist because they remain useful to local people as means of subsistence, production, and primary health care. The findings are important so far as they point up the role of underutilized plants in national food security policy and health care, spelling out their potentialities and cross cutting relationships.