Medicinal Plants - International Journal of Phytomedicines and Related Industries

Wild Musa species are integral part of the plethoric floral diversity of Arunachal Pradesh. The genus is abundantly distributed throughout the state along the tropical and sub-tropical belt. Needless to say, the indigenous knowledge of the tribes dwelling in the region has a deep rooted relationship with nature since time immemorial yet documentation of the same is meagre. Present study is an effort to bring to the limelight the vast indigenous knowledge on wild Musa species growing wildly in the Siang and Subansiri regions of Arunachal Pradesh and to document the close relationship shared by the ethnic tribes with the wild Musa genus. The study throws light on the socio, economic, religious and medicinal importance of various wild species of Musa amongst the five different tribes i.e., Nyishis, Tagins, Apatansi, Galos and the Adis dwelling in the Subansiri and Siang region.