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Tap the wild

Tap the wild Scientists of the Chennia-Tamil Nadu based M S Swaminathan Research Foundation identified 101 edible wild greens. Not all are consumed regularly.

The frequently eaten leaves: Ponnamkanni (Alternanthera sessilis) , mullencheera (Amaranths spinosus) , kuppacheera (Amaranths virdis) , mudungachappu (Solan nigrum), maracheera (Emberia tsjeriam-cottam, eaten only by the Kattunaikkas).

Leaves eaten twice or thrice a month: Aliyanchapu (Zehenria mysoresensis), kattuthakkali (Passiflora calcaratta), kalluriki (Scoparia dulcis), aalanchappu (Bidens biternata), kuriyankaya (Diplocyclos palmatus) and kozhuppacheera (Trianthema portulaccastrum).

Commonly consumed flowers: koombichappu (Adenia hondala) and katumunthuri (Rubus fulvus)

Fruits commonly eaten: plavu (Artocarpus heterophyllus), mavu (Mangifera indica), njaval (Szygium cumini) and kattuthakkali (Passiflora calcaratt a, its leaves are also used)

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