Family Urticaceae Common name: Stinging nettle, common nettle, stinging nettle or nettle leaf, nettle. stinger, Local name: Koogas (कूगस, कूगसी  बिच्छू बूटी) There are three plants called by the same name koogas, koogasi and Bichoo buti in Himachal Pradesh, but identified by three different botanical names viz. Urtica dioica, Urtica parviflora

Family:   Dioscoreaceae Local name:    Dareghal (दरेघल) Dareghal is a common plant represented by two different species in distt, Mandi of Himachal Pradesh. Both are   used as a vegetable.  One species is found growing  in mid to high-hills of Western Himalayas.             It appears that there is a large variation

Family: Chenopodiaceae Common name: Lamb’s quarter, white goosefoot, wild spinach Local name: Bathu (बाथू) ,Kadon (कड़ों) Bathu is a fast-growing seasonal weed appearing during summer months.  It is especially common at those places which are rich in organic matter e.g. in the vicinity of cowsheds and around manure pits.  It

Family:FabaceaeSynonyms: Flemingia vestita,  Maughania vestita, M. procumbensCommon Name: Soh-PhlongLocal Name: Kujjee कुज्जी) Kujjee is a herbaceous  annual to perennial plant of Western Himalayas commonly seen growing on mountains slopes between  an altitudinal range of 1700 to 3000m. It grows best in well drained sunny to  partially shady habitat.Being the member of Fabaceae  it has nodules in the roots for

Family: Polygonaceae Synonyms:  Rumex dissectus Common Name: Arrowleaf Dock , Heartwing sorrel,Local name: Khat malori (खट मलोरी), Aambi. Khat malori is perennial herb. Plant found growing in  Western Himalayas upto an elevation of 2300 metres above sea level.  It is very hardy plant and can grow even on poorest soils and

Family: Fabaceae     Synonyms: Cassia caroliniana, Cassia ciliate, Cassia laevigata, Cassia occidentalis Common name:  Coffee senna, coffee weed. Local name: Badi yelo (बड़ी येलो) Badi yelo is a annual under shrub or a short lived perennial plant of Western Himalayas. It can be seen growing upto an altitude of 1500 metres.  Plant

Family: AthyrioideaeSynonym: Anisogonium esculentum, Asplenium ambiguum, Asplenium esculentumAthyrium esculentum, Callipteris ambigua, Callipteris esculenta, Digrammaria esculenta, Diplazium malabaricum, Hemionitis esculenta,Microstegia esculenta, Common name: Vegetable fern, Local name: Lingad (लिंगड़) . Lingad, which is a fern, is one of the most popular wild growing food plants of Himachal Pradesh.  It is eaten

Family: Phytolaccaceae Common name: Himayan pokeberry, Indian pokeberry Local name: Jharka (झरका) In some of the books on Indian plants, Phytolica acinosa, is reported to grow on places having a very wide climatic range, even at an elevation of 500 m.  There seems to be some confusion in identification of

Family: Crucifereae Common name: Water cress Local  name: Chhooch (छूछ) Chhoochh grows wild among ditches, pools and margins of shallow streams. It can be seen upto an elevation of 2100 metres in Himalayas. Chhoochh  is prepared as a vegetable.  As chhoochh grows only along water channels or sides of ponds,

Family:  Cucurbitaceae Synonym: Momordica hispida Local name: Jangli Karela (जंगली करेला ), Ban karela (बन करेला). The climbing vines of jangli karela can be seen growing wild on hedges and small shrubs all over Himachal Pradesh upto an elevation of 1200 metres.  It scrambles over the ground and also climb