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) Jharka , is a lesser-known wild plant found in the mid to high-altitude regions of Himachal Pradesh and other parts of the Himalayas. Traditionally used by locals for its medicinal and edible young shoots (after proper processing to remove

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

Family: Fabaceae Synonyms: Indigofera cavaleriei.Common Name: Deep-Purple IndigoLocal Name: Kathi (काथी) Shrubs of kathi can be seen growing from 300 to 1900 metres above mean sea level. This plant grows as scrub, mostly on mountains, sparse forests, grasslands near trail sides or streams. The growth of this plant is the best

Family: Moraceae Synonyms: Ficus auriculata, Ficus macrophylla. Common name: Elephant ear fig tree. ocal Names: Taryambal (तर्याम्बल), Timbal, Tremal, Trembal, Taryambalu. Taryambal is a very commonly growing tree in the mid-hills of Himachal upto an elevation of 1700 m.  Its trees can be seen growing wild in forests, village common lands, cultivated fields,

Family: Moraceae Synonyms: F. caricoides F. virgataCommon names: Wild fig, wild Himalayan fig Local names: Fegra (फेगड़ा), khasra (खसरा), daghla (दाघला). Fegra trees are of common occurrence throughout the mid hill region upto an elevation of 1550 metres. Besides Himachal Pradesh, this plant also grows in areas having similar climate

Family: Moraceae Synonyms: Covellia hispida, Ficus oppositifolia, Covellia oppositifoliaEnglish name: Hairy Fig Local name: Debre (डेबरे ) Debre trees grow wild in mid hills of Himachal Pradesh upto an elevation of 1100 metres above sea level.  Debra plants are mostly seen growing along the water streams, forest edges, and open spaces along

Family: AthyriaceaeSynonym: Asplenium maximum Common Name: Giant Himalayan Fern, Vegetable Fern, Large Wood Fern. Local Name: Lingdu, Lingdi (लिंगडू) Lingdu is a fern species that thrives in humid, shaded environments rich in organic matter. The edible part consists of its tender, coiled young fronds (fiddleheads). Once the fronds fully unfurl,

Family: Dioscoreaceae Synonyms: Dioscorea tenii Local name: Singhtu (सिंघटु) Singhtu grows in upper mid-hill regions over bushes and shrubs in open scrub forests, forest margins and roadsides from 1500-2400 m in Western Himalayas. It bears small tubers which are boiled and then prepared like a vegetable. Singhtu is appear as a seasonal