Wild edible plant resources of Kedarnath valley, Garhwal Himalaya, India

The Kedarnath valley of Garhwal Himalaya is very rich in wild edible plant resources. A total of 20 villages were surveyed during the study period from May 2016 to August 2017 for potential use of wild edible plants of Kedarnath Valley. Information on the use of wild edible plant resources were conducted through questionnaire based survey, reconnaissance survey, semi-directive interview and market survey. The study documented 72 wild edible plant species belong to 59 genera and 44 families of trees, shrubs, herbs and climbers plant species. Herb contributed the largest proportion with 25 species (34%), followed by tree with 23 species (33%), shrub of 18 species (25%), climbers of 4 species (8%) and one species of fungi. Wild edible plant parts contributed by fruits (25%), leaves (25%) and branches (14%). These edible plant species are sold in the market by the local inhabitants for their livelihood. Utilization of these edible plant resources for food, medicines and livelihood should be promoted for meeting the needs of the people in Kedarnath Valley.