WILD EDIBLE PLANT RESOURCES OF TEA GARDENS IN TERAI AND HILLS OF DARJEELING DISTRICT IN WEST BENGAL, INDIA

A survey among the tea garden workers in Darjeeling Terai and Darjeeling Hills was conducted. Workers are mostly Santhals and Oraons (in Terai) and Nepalese (in Hills). The survey recorded 150 species of edible plants representing 63 families. This includes 18 species of monocots (covering 11 families) and 128 species of dicotyledons (covering 48 families) and 04 species of Pteridophytes from 04 families. Out of the recorded plants, 71 species are from Terai, 47 species from Hills and 32 species are common for Tea gardens of both the regions. Their traditional knowledge can be used for future food security of human races. At the same time proper awareness need to be generated among them as these plants might be contaminated with different types of chemicals used in such plantations. Scientific name, local name, habit, edible part and mode of use etc. of these plants have been presented and discussed.