ABSTRACT
Wild edible plants (WEPs) are worldwide distributed but in very low quantity. The traditional knowledge about the use of indigenous edible plants has been explored; therefore, the ethnological knowledge of people and listing of plants of a particular region are important tools that may help in understanding human-environment interactions. WEPs are very important for the well-being of rural populations in the region, not only as sources of supplemental food, nutritionally balanced diets, medicines, fodder, and fuel, but also for their income-generating potential. Also, there is diversity in nutritional, anti-nutritional, and nutraceutical constituents among the WEPs consumed by the Palliyars/Kanikkars/Valliyans and Pulayans in the Southeastern Slopes of Western Ghats. So new edible varieties with high nutritive values must be evolved by seeking recourse to modern bio-techniques. This will help the economically weaker sections of the population, including the tribal people living in various parts of India.
