Table 3.
Categories | WFPs in each category | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|
1 |
Plants which are rare or difficult to find nearby. |
Dobera glabra, Cordia sinensis, Acacia hockii, and Balanites rotundifolia |
Dobera glabra is found only in remote lowland areas. |
2 |
Plants consumed normally mixed with other food items, but under severe food shortage eaten alone. |
Moringa stenopetala, Pachycymbium laticoronum, Adenia ellenbekii, Coffea arabica, Amaranthus dubius, Brassica napus,Corchorus trilocularis, Vigna sp., Portulaca sp. |
|
3 |
Those normally eaten only by children but eaten by adults in bad times. |
Many of the WFPs fall in this category. |
Consumption of these WFPs by adults points to a change in the availability of food and indicates incoming or prevalence of food shortage. |
4 |
Plants, immature plant parts with less nutritious, irritating taste. |
Amorphophallus gomboczianus, manqoraya (Rhus sp.), Tamarindus indica |
Immature tubers of Amorphophallus gomboczianus (harvested in the first year when normally it ripens in 2-3 years). Has poor palatability and also has irritating taste. Manqoraya fruits temporarily desensitize/paralyze teeth after consumption. Tamarindus indica fruits have sour taste. |
5 |
Plants with low yield of edible parts/products, relatively poor taste. |
Kullayya sakkarra, Amaranthus hybridus, Ehretia cymosa, Lantana trifolia, dhashandhashata (species not identified), Psydrax schimperiana |
Kullayya sakkarra tubers are diminutive, not palatable but are nonetheless consumed under critical food shortage. Amaranthus hybridus tiny seeds with bitter taste. |
6 |
Products which are extremely hard to process or to cook to food; sometimes also sour. |
Dobera glabra, Grewia ferruginea,G. bicolor |
Gathering and consumption of Dobera glabra (kernel/fruit) clearly indicates that the household consuming it has entered the worst stage of food shortage/starvation as the kernel is rock-hard to be boiled. It could also lead to diarrhea and stomach ache. Grewia ferruginea and G. bicolor: tough to process because its cover cannot easily be removed. Amorphophallus gomboczianus tubers are hard to process to food. |
7 |
Watery weeds or parts normally consumed only after adequate desiccation to avoid diarrhea. |
Pachycymbium laticoronum, and leaf of Amaranthus sp. which would normally require desiccation before consumption. |
Frequent consumption of these stuffs is deemed unhealthy by the Konso community. |
8 |
Plants or plant parts which are dangerous to handle. |
Opuntia ficus-indica, Arisaema flavum |
Fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica bear the finest/tiniest spines which will blind in case of entering into the eyes. Arisaema flavum -thorny and difficult to collect leaves. |
9 | Plants which are health threatening after intake, deemed poisonous and if consumed are perceived as fatal. | Some types/species of mushroom (Boletus sp.) are poisonous and cannot be consumed without careful management/cooking. | Only collected by adults, not by children to avoid child health risks. |
Note that some plants can appear in more than one category.