Chemical Composition and Ethnobotany of Livistona jenkinsiana Griff: An Endangered Thatching Palm Tree of Eastern Himalayas

Objectives: To study the uses of various parts and cultivation of Livistona jenkinsiana among tribal people of Arunachal Pradesh in addition to study the chemical composition and the related health benefits if any. Methods: Field survey and interview were used for ethnobotany and GCMS was used in the studies of chemical compositions. Results: This study reports numbers of volatile and non-volatile compounds from the fruit of Livistona jenkinsiana with various health benefits. Presence of remarkable high percentage of trehalose sugar is reported in this work from the fruit of L. jenkinsiana. The study also reports various uses of the parts of this palm tree as thatching tree, fencing and house construction. The study also reports need of conservation of this bioculturally important endangered and threatened thatching palm tree. Conclusion: L. jenkinsiana is a bioculturally and economically important endangered thatching palm tree. The fruit could be a source of plant originated fats and trehalose sugar. Fifty percent of compounds present in this fruit are useful in various health problems. There should be further scientific studies in the domains of industrial utility of this underutilized palm tree.