Surviving on Knowledge: Ethnobotany of Chepang community from midhills of Nepal

Abstract

The Chepangs of Nepal are rich in knowledge regarding the use of different plants and this knowledge has been transferred verbally through the generations. This study analyzed traditional knowledge regarding plant use among the Chepang communities from ward number 3 and 4 of Shaktikhor Village Development Committee located in the central mid hills of Nepal. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key informants like traditional healers for medicinal plants, and elder people and women for edible and other useful plants. The ‘artefact/interview’ approach was also used. People were using 435 different plant species for 845 various uses. Eleven of these species belong to different IUCN threat categories. Stems had the highest number of uses (180) followed by whole plants (163) and leaves (134). Fodder had the highest number of species (198) followed by edible plants (136) and medicinal use species (115). 246 species had single-uses while 189 had multiple-uses. Fifty-six plants in use among Chepangs, were not reported in any previous documents from Nepal.