Wild edible vegetables and consumer perception: an ethnobotanical study among four ethnic communities in Mizoram, India

Mizoram, part of the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, harbours rich plant diversity and indigenous ethnobotanical knowledge. Wild edible vegetables (WEVs) contribute to food and nutritional security, traditional healthcare, cultural practices, and livelihoods, but their use and associated knowledge face increasing pressures. This study documented and assessed wild edible vegetables (WEVs) diversity, ethnobotanical knowledge, food-medicine relationships, consumer perceptions, market and economic importance, and industrial and commercialization potential among the Mara, Lai, Bawm, and Chakma communities of southern Mizoram, Northeast India. Ethnobotanical data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 112 informants representing four ethnic communities. The ethnobotanical knowledge and importance of species were characterized using species richness, Relative Frequency Citation (RFC), Use Value (UV), shared and unique species, Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) and Direct Matrix Ranking (DMR). Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were calculated to assess variation in ethnobotanical knowledge diversity and correlation analyses were used to evaluate relationships among selected variables. Food-medicine relationships were evaluated using the Food-Medicine Homology Index (FMHI) and principal component analysis (PCA). Consumer perceptions were assessed using a five-point Likert scale, with internal consistency evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha (α). Market data were analysed in terms of availability, price, trading volume, annual income, and Combined Economic Index (CEI), while industrial status and commercialization potential were assessed for selected economically important WEVs. Statistical analyses were conducted using Python, while PCA was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 30.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). A total of 94 WEVs belonging to 42 families and 77 genera were documented. Mean species richness differed significantly among the four ethnic communities (Kruskal-Wallis H = 21.16, df = 3, p < 0.001) and increased significantly with age (H = 53.95, df = 4, p < 0.001). Of the recorded species, 31 (32.98%) were shared among all four communities, whereas 27 (28.72%) were unique to individual communities. RFC and UV showed a strong positive correlation (Spearman’s ρ = 0.916, p < 0.001), while Shannon and Simpson diversity indices indicated variation in ethnobotanical knowledge diversity among communities. Food-medicine relationships were supported by significant positive correlations among food-use, medicinal-use frequency, and their cultural-importance. PCA identified one dominant component explaining 79.78% of the total variance. The normalized FMHI values ranged from 0.125 to 1.000 (Mean = 0.485 ± 0.291), and 57 species were reported to have both food and traditional medicinal uses. The market survey recorded 48 traded WEVs species, with prices ranging from USD 0.33 to 2.70 kg⁻¹ and an estimated annual market value of USD 82,637.04. Parkia timoriana provided the highest annual income (USD 12,251.25; CEI = 0.148). Average quantity sold per day was positively correlated with market price ( r = 0.478, p < 0.001). Industrial status scores for selected WEVs ranged from 11 to 14. Consumer perception data showed that 86.8% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that WEVs availability had declined in recent years, while 60.4% reported awareness of sustainable practices. The five-item Likert scale showed good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.86). The study highlights the diversity, food-medicine integration, and livelihood potential of WEVs among the four ethnic communities. Parkia timoriana emerged as a particularly important species, combining high ethnobotanical and economic significance with strong market and commercialization potential. The reported conservation-sensitive species, including Cycas circinalis (Endangered) and Ensete superbum (Near Threatened), highlight the need for sustainable harvesting and community-based conservation. Systematic documentation of ethnobotanical knowledge can help preserve cultural heritage while supporting future nutritional, pharmacological, and food-science research. Not applicable.