Food and Medicinal Services of Hydrophytes in India

Food and Medicinal Services of Hydrophytes in India

Authors

  •   SK Sahanawaz Alam   Department of Botany, Garhbeta College, Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal
  •   Sudhama VN   Govt. Science College, Chitradurga, Karnataka
  •   Mithilesh Kumar Sinha   Govt. College Sarona, Kanker, Saheed Mahendra Karma University, Bastar, Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh
  •   Remya Krishnan   Daulat Ram college, Delhi University
  •   Bhagwati Prashad Sharma   Sidharth Government College Nadaun, Himachal Pradesh
  •   Rajkumari Supriya Devi   Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, Odisha
  •   Shalini Mudalkar   Forest College and Research Institute Hyderabad, Mulugu, Siddipet district, Telangana State

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2026/v152i2/171023

Keywords:

Conservation, Sustainability, Wetlands.

Abstract

The study of hydrophytes is crucial due to their significant role in maintaining wetland ecosystems, providing food and medicinal resources, and supporting biodiversity. Present study highlights the food, medicinal, and ecological values of 52 hydrophyte species commonly found in India belonging to 38 genus and 24 families, revealing their potential as sources of nutrition, traditional medicine, and ecological balance. The results showed the diverse range of benefits provided by hydrophytes, from edible parts and bioactive compounds to their role in habitat provision and water purification. The findings emphasize the urgent need for conservation, sustainable utilization, and phytochemical exploration of these species, paving the way for future applications in pharmacology, ecology, and environmental biotechnology.

References

Bănăduc D., Simić V., Cianfaglione K., Barinova S., Afanasyev S., Öktener A., McCall G., Simić S. and Curtean-Bănăduc A. (2022). Freshwater as a Sustainable Resource and Generator of Secondary Resources in the 21st Century: Stressors, Threats, Risks, Management and Protection Strategies, and Conservation Approaches. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24):16570. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416570.

Devi R.K., Kumar A., Jadhav J.Y., Satapathy K.B. and Kumar S. (2024). Economically important plants of Loktak Lake, Manipur, India. Indian Forester, 150(12):1253.1256.

Devi R.S., Lal S., Maggirwar R., Jadhao AB. and Kumar S. (2025). Floral diversity of Loktak Lake, Manipur, India. Indian Forester, 151(5):430-435.

Dimri R., Das K., Devi R.S., Kumar S., Kumar N. and Das A. (2024). Ecological, Socioeconomic and Nutraceutical Values of Zizania latifolia (Kambong): A wetland Grass for Sangai deer & Human population. Indian Forester, 150(10): 956-961.

Jena N., Rout S., Mishra S. and Kumar S. (2025). Evaluation of quantitative ethnobotanical uses in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha, India. Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 9(1): 1-29.

Kumar S. (2025). Data collection from literature for biological sciences, medicinal plants research, ethnobotany, and pharmacology: a methodological overview. Journal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 9(2):167-169.

Kumar S.N., Mishra S. and Kumar S. (2021). Documentation of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) on Commonly Available Plants in Koira Range, Bonai Forest Division, Sundargarh, Odisha, India. Asian Plant Research Journal, 8(4): 83-95.

Mahanti P. and Kumar S. (2017). Major biodiversity of poovar beach along the Neyaar River: a tourism destination of Kerala, India. International Research Journal of Environment Sciences, 6(2): 72-75.

Rodrigo M.A. (2021). Wetland Restoration with Hydrophytes: A Review. Plants, 10(6): 1035. doi: 10.3390/plants10061035.

Saha M., Roy A.B., Kumar S. and Datta B.K. (2022), Ethnobotanical Diversity of some Wetland Plants of North-East India: Implications for Conservation, Indian Forester, 148(11): 1149-1154.

Satapathy S., Kumar S. and Marndi S. (2019). Medicinal uses of Schoenoplectiella articulata: a wetland sedge. Joumal of Biodiversity and Conservation, 3(4): 102-104.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Published

2026-02-28

How to Cite

Alam, S. S., VN, S., Sinha, M. K., Krishnan, R., Sharma, B. P., Supriya Devi, R., & Mudalkar, S. (2026). Food and Medicinal Services of Hydrophytes in India. Indian Forester, 152(2), 153–158. https://doi.org/10.36808/if/2026/v152i2/171023

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Loading...