Gathering Edible Wild Plants in a Mountain Village of West Java, Indonesia: Diversity of Species, Utilizations, and Local Perceptions

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to collect local knowledge about edible wild plants among villagers in the mountainous region of West Java. Snowball sampling was used to identify informants who could be considered experts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect ethnobotanical data. A total of 88 species of edible wild plants belonging to 70 genera and 45 plant families were recorded. Of these, approximately one-tenth belong to the Asteraceae family. More than half of the plants are herbaceous. The parts of each species considered food vary, from the vegetative structures to the immature reproductive organs. Fruits and leaves are mostly used. Most of the plants listed are eaten raw. Only half of all species are native. The remaining half is made up of exotic species. Among the exotic species, neophytes outnumber archaeophytes. 23 species of wild plants treat 22 medical conditions. Only 13 plants were available for sale in the local markets. In general, knowledge about edible wild plants is preserved among a small group of custodians and may be declining due to socio-economic and cultural changes, especially the development of tourism and the perception that wild plants are famine food which, in turn, associated with poverty.