Ethnobotanical study and nutrient potency of local traditional vegetables in Central Kalimantan

Abstract

The Dayak people in Central Kalimantan, traditionally consumed local vegetable, either collected from the wild or traditionally cultivated. Unfortunately, many of the traditional vegetables are approaching extinction, even in their local market. This research is intended to conserve the traditional vegetable by collecting nutritional data and cultural information about the vegetable. Nineteen traditional Dayak vegetables were observed in local markets and in wild areas. Taxonomic identification revealed that the vegetables were Passiflora foetida L. (kemot), Diplazium esculentum (Retz). SW. (bajey fern), Spondias pinnata (L.f.) Kurtz (kedondong leaves), Neptunia oleracea Lour (malu-malu leaves), Manihot esculenta Crantz (cassava leaves). Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. (talak leaves), Etlingera elatiar (Jack) R.M. Smith (potok shoots, red and green cultivar), Calamus sp. (rotan shoots), Nauclea sp. (Taya leaves), Momordica charantia L. (paria leaves), Gymnopetalum cochinense Kurz (kanjat), Solanum torvum Swartz. (segau fruit), Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott (sulur keladi shoots), Stenochlaena palutris (Burm.)Bedd. (kalakai leaves; red and white cultivar), lotus shoots (pucuk teratai), and Cnesmone javanica Blume (lampinak leaves). Nutrient analysis revealed that red kalakai (wild fern) has the potential nutrient value. It has a high amount of Fe (41.53 ppm), Cu (4.52 ppm), vitamin C (15.41 mg/100g), protein (2.36%), β-carotene (66.99 ppm), and folic acid (11.30 ppm). Other iron-rich vegetables were sulur keladi (49.25 ppm) and bajey (44.6 ppm). While other vitamin C-rich vegetables were paria leaves (18.34 mg/100 g wb), and bajaj fern (22.05 mg/100g w.b). Sulur keladi and bajey were also rich in folic acid. They had 16 and 6.3 ppm of folic acid respectively. The β-carotene content in bajey was 74.04 ppm while taya was 77.41 ppm.