Table 2.
Traditional wild fruit in Sri Lanka.
| Vernacular Name | Botanical Name | Food Use | Nutritional and Therapeutic Value | Edible Parts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katu-attha/Weli-attha (Annona) | Annona muricate/Annona reticulata | Ripened fruits was eaten fresh | Leaf infusion used as sudorific; antispasmodic; emetic flowers are antispasmodic. The ripened fruit is antiscorbutic; the unripe fruit was used for dysentery. Fresh leaves were used as topicals, applied to the stomach of children suffering from indigestion | Fruit |
| Thal Palmyra Palm | Borassus flabellifer L. | The inflorescence is tapped for toddy, vinegar, and jaggery. Young nut water (liquid endosperm) was drunk. | Ripened fruit is rich in vitamins A and C. The toddy is beneficial for inflammatory ailments and dropsy. It is a diuretic prescribed for chronic gonorrhoea and amoebiasis. | Fruit and germinating seed root |
| Divul (Wood Apple) | Feronia limonia L. | Mature and ripe fruit was eaten fresh and drunk | The pulp of the unripe fruit along with other ingredients were used for chronic diarrhea and dysentery. The ripe fruit was useful in hiccups and ailments of the gums and throat and was applied externally on bites of venomous insects. | Fruit |
| Bel fruit (Slime Apple) | Aegle marmelos (L.) Corrêa | Ripened fruits were eaten fresh. The shell and flowers drunk were as a beverage. | This fruit used for fever, hypochondria, melancholia, palpitation of the heart, diarrhea, and gastric troubles in children. The leaves were given for jaundice and anasarca. | Fruit and flower |