Useful Plants

Compiled by KB Sadananda

The attached document is a list of plants, which are being used by people in their daily life, While some of them constitute food items, a few are non edible but which find wide usage as items of useful application. The plants are divided into several categories such as foods – cereals, pulses, vegetables, and fruits etc. The list is neither exhaustive nor complete and additions as well as corrections are welcome. Sufficient care is taken while noting down the common names, scientific names (with synonyms wherever available) as well as family names that are widely used and latest. There is confusion with regard to the correct identification of some minor millets. While photographs would have been desirable, it has not been possible to provide. Plants of medicinal value have been excluded for obvious reasons. The category of fruits includes those that are available and sold in the market (though some of them may be infrequently seen in the fruit shops), as well as those which are wild and available and consumed only in certain rural localities.