Exotic plants utilized by the locals: a checklist

Abstract

Based on a combination of literature reviews and interviews with locals, this research synthesizes the ways in which an exotic plant is used by the inhabitants of the Sambalpur area in the Indian state of Odisha. Fifty different species of herbs were found in the research region, representing 43 different genera and 26 different families. Ten species came from the Asteraceae family (20%), six from the Amaranthaceae (12%), four from the Poaceae (8%), three from the Onagraceae (6%), two from the Capparaceae (4%), the Euphorbiaceae
(4%), the Lamiaceae (4%), the Malvaceae (4%) and the Portulacaceae (4%) and one from the remaining 17 families. About 82% were annuals, while the rest were perinnials. Thirty-three (69%) of the 50 species are indigenous to the Tropics, while two (5% each) are from the Americas and Europe. This article also discusses the many ways in which locals have been known to put exotic herbs to use. To aid in the preservation of indigenous flora and fauna, this research gives a complete and up-to-date inventory of the plant species found in Sambalpur district.