83Table 3.4 Some plants and their relationship with Solega people
Solega name
(complete) Scientifi c name Forest type Use
Food
arre aṇṇe Bryophyllum spp. ,
Kalanchoe spp.
Commelina ensifolia
(?), Cyanotis sp. ,
Habenaria
longicornuSpecies with yellow leaves
is eatenbeṇṇe mara Persea americana Exotic tree; fruit can be
eaten
beṭṭa maruḷi giḍa Indigofera wightii The honey made from this
fl ower’s nectar is highly
sought after
bikkilu mara# Elaeocarpus serratus male, ka:nu Seeds are eaten
biḷi ju:jakki Lantana indica na:ḍu Fruit can be eaten
biḷi ko:muḷḷi giḍa Rubus niveus male, sometimes
na:ḍuEdible fruit ripen in the
early monsoon
bu:ra da mara# Bombax ceiba na:ḍu Flower buds are eaten
cokkattãna mara,
cokkottãCitrus sp. male Edible bittersweet fruit ripen
in the monsoon
daḍasina mara# Grewia tiliifolia male, na:ḍu
(smaller variety)Small edible fruit ripen in
July
doḍḍa puḷḷuḷi giḍa Oxalis sp. male Leaves and stems have a
sour taste, and are cooked in
uduka ‘soup’
gi:jiga:na ambu Caesalpinia
mimosoidesThe young shoots are eatengoṭṭi ambu# Ziziphus rugosa/
xylopyrus?male, sometimes
na:ḍuEdible fruits ripen in
April–May
honne mara# Pterocarpus
marsupiummale Honey from this tree is very
strong tasting
iṭṭu nelli mara# Emblica indofi scheri na:ḍu Fruit are eaten raw or
pickled
ju:jakki Scuttelaria sp. Ripe fruit are eaten
ka:ḍa ge:ru mara Semicarpus
anacardiummale, na:ḍu Entire ripe fruit is eaten
(July–August)
ka:ḍa se:bu giḍa Colocasia sp. Edible corms
ka:ḍasuṇṭi giḍa# Zingiber offi cinale Wild ginger, cooked with
food for fl avouring
ka:ge ma:ri ambu Passifl ora edulis male, ka:nu Edible fruit ripen in August
kakkilu mara Celtis tetrandra male, ka:nu Edible fruit ripen in
September
kancuva:ḷa mara# Bauhinia purpurea male, na:ḍu Seeds are eaten, the gaṇḍu
(male) plants produce
smaller, inedible fruit
karava:di mara# Persea macrantha male, ka:nu Young leaves are cooked in
uduka
(continued)