An Ethnobotanical Study of the Kodavas and other Tribes of Kodagu District, Karnataka

The Kodavas are the original inhabitants of Kodagu at present a district of Karnataka State - located in the Western Ghats. Although Kodavas cannot be classified as tribals under the present conditions, they form a minor ethnic group that has apparently been living amidst the forests of this region over the last few thousand years. Their knowledge of the local plants is extensive, and some of it is recorded here, with a listing of 240 species. These include some 105 medicinal plants, 65 food plants, about 60 timber-yielding plants; some 40 species used in different ways in agriculture and animal husbandry; some 80 species having agricultural and domestic uses, including fibre and fuel plants, those used in cleaning and toiletry, etc; there is some overlapping of usages. Although many of the palnts are well-known, some of the usages are not widely known. Some of the plants merit further investigation and development.