Ethnobotany and Distribution of Wild Edible Tubers in Pulau Redang and Nearby Islands of Terengganu, Malaysia

Authors: M. Nashriyah, M. Y. Nur Athiqah, H. Syahril Amin, N. Norhayati, A. W. Mohamad Azhar, M. Khairil

Abstract:

An ethnobotanical study was conducted to document local knowledge and potentials of wild edible tubers that has been reported and sighted and to investigate and record their distribution in Pulau Redang and nearby islands of Terengganu, Malaysia. Information was gathered from 42 villagers by using semi-structured questionnaire. These respondents were selected randomly and no appointment was made prior to the visits. For distribution, the locations of wild edible tubers were recorded by using the Global Positioning System (GPS). The wild edible tubers recorded were ubi gadung, ubi toyo, ubi kasu, ubi jaga, ubi seratus and ubi kertas. Dioscorea or commonly known as yam is reported to be one of the major food sources worldwide. The majority of villagers used Dioscorea hispida Dennst. or ubi gadung in many ways in their life such as for food, medicinal purposes and fish poison. The villagers have identified this ubi gadung by looking at the morphological characteristics; that include leaf shape, stem and the color of the tuber-s flesh.

Keywords: Ethnobotany, distribution, wild edible tubers, Dioscorea hispida Dennst., ubi gadung

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1056190

References:

[1] M. Balick, and P. Cox, Plants, People and Culture: The Science of Ethnobotany, Scientific American Library, USA. 1996. Pp. 228.
[2] R. E. Schultes, Ethnobotany and technology in the Northwest Amazon: A partnership. In Sustainable Harvest and Marketing of Rain Forest Products. Plotkin and Famolare (eds.). Island Press, CA. pp. 45-76, 1992.
[3] L. N. Sharma, and R. Bastakoti, "Ethnobotany of Dioscorea L. with emphasis on food value in Chepang communities in Dhading districts, central Nepal," Journal of Plant Science, vol. 6, pp. 12-17, 2009.
[4] L. R. Caddick, P. Wilkin, P. J. Rudall, T. A. J. Hedderson, and M. Chase, "Yam reclassified: A recircumscription of Dioscoreaceae and Dioscoreales," Taxon, vol 51, no. 1, pp. 103-114, 2002.
[5] Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Statistical database, http://faostat. fao.org/faostat/collections?subset=agriculture last accessed on 9 August 2011, 2004.
[6] E. Hildebrand, S. Demissew, and P. Wilkin, Local and regional appearance in species of Dioscorea L. (Yams) in Southwest Ethiopia. In Ethnobiology and Biocultural Diversity. J. R. Stepp, F. S. Wyndham and R. R. Zarger (eds.). Proceeding of the 7th International Congress of Ehtnobiology. University of Georgia Press, USA. pp. 678-695, 2002.
[7] R. K. Arora, and A. Pandey, Wild Edible Plants of India, Diversity and Conservation and Use. National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, India. 1996.
[8] B. Roy, A. C. Halder, and D. C. Pal, "Plants for human consumption in India," Botanical Survey of India, pp. 63-65, 1988.
[9] S. Mishra, S. Swaih, S.S. Chaudhary, and S. Ray, "Wild edible tubers (Dioscorea spp.) and their contribution to the food security of tribes of Jeypore tract, Orissa, India," PGR Newsletter, FAO-Biodiversity issue, no. 56, pp. 63-67, 2011.
[10] G. C. Orkwor, R. Asiedu, and I. J. Ekanayake, Food Yams: Advances in Research. International Institute Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan and National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike. pp. 187- 215, 1998.
[11] K. Choudhary, M. Singh, and U. Pillai, "Ethnobotanical survey of Rajasthan - An update," American-Eurasian Journal of Botany, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 38-45, 2008.
[12] E. S. Sunarsih, Djatmika and R. S. Utomo, "Influence of administration of gadung corm (Dioscorea hispida Dennst.) infusion to decrease of blood glucose level at aloksan inducted male diabetic rats," Majalah Farmasi Indonesia, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 29-33, 2007.
[13] F. Hanum, and N. Hamzah, The use of medicinal plant species by the Temuan Tribe of Ayer Hitam Forest, Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia. Pertanika Journal Tropical Agriculture Science. Vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 85- 94, 1999. Universiti Putra Malaysia Press.
[14] French, B. R. Food Plants of Papua New Guinea. pp. 31, 2006.
[15] K. Maneenoon, P. Sirirugsa, and K. Sridith, "Ethnobotany of Dioscorea L. (Dioscoreaceae), a major food plant of the Sakai Tribe at Banthad Range, Peninsular Thailand," Journal of Plant, People and Applied Research, vol. 6, pp. 385-394, 2008.
[16] Natural Resources Institute, Root Crop Second Edition. Tropical Development and Research Institute, University of Waikato, USA. pp. 308, 1987.