Ethnobotanical documentation of medicinal edible tubers used by the Kadar tribe in Kallar, Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala

Abstract

Edible tubers play a vital role in the human diet, particularly in tropical regions, where root and stem tubers serve as important energy sources next to cereals. These crops are characterized by their bulky nature and high moisture content (60–90%), which results in high transportation costs, short shelf life, and limited market value, despite being predominantly cultivated in developing countries. The Kadar tribe, a small indigenous community of southern India, traditionally inhabits the hilly forest regions between Cochin in Kerala and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. A section of this community has migrated and now resides in the Aranakuzhy settlement of Kallar, located along the foothills of the Ponmudi ranges, from where the present information was documented. The Kadar people were found highly dependent on tubers as a major component of their daily diet. While tubers are often regarded as “food of the poor” and commonly consumed varieties include cassava, yams, and taro, the Kadar community follows distinct traditional practices. Notably, they attribute significant medicinal value to edible tubers and deliberately use them not only as food but also as remedies for various ailments, reflecting their rich ethno-medicinal knowledge.