Here is a list of non-wood forest products.
Product # 1. Essential Oil:
Taste and smell are the two most sensitive human senses. The natural world – especially that of higher plants – provides a multitude of flavours and fragrances, either directly or indirectly, which impinge upon these senses.
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Essential oils are used in everyday life in foods and drinks and confectionery items; products for personal use such as perfumes, deodorants, shampoos, bath lotions, toilet soaps, toothpastes and mouth washes; pharmaceutical preparations where flavours are added to make the product more appealing or to mask the taste of less agreeable ones; items used about the house or office or in industry such as air fresheners, laundry soaps, detergents, cleaning agents and tobacco products.
i. Grass Oils:
Lemon grass oil (Cymbopogon flexuosus), West Indian lemon grass oil (Cymbopogon citratus), Palmarosa oil (Cymbopogon martinii var. motia), Ginger grass oil (Cymbopogon martinii var. sofia), Citronella oil (Cymbopogon nardus var. winterianus), Vetiver oil (Vetiveria zizanioides).
ii. Wood Oils:
Sandalwood oil (Santalum album), Agar oil (Aquillaria agalocha), Deodar oil (Cedrus deodara), Pine oil/ Turpentine oil (Pinus roxburghii), Linaloe oil (Bursera delpechiana), Cedar oil (Juniperus macropoda).
iii. Leaf Oils:
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Eucalyptus oil (Eucalyptus globulus), Lemon scented gum oil (Eucaylyptus citriodora). Camphor oil (Cinnamomum camphora), Pine needle oil (Pinus roxburghii), Mint oil (Mentha spp.), Patchouli oil (Pogostemon patchouli), Geranium oil (Pelargonium graveolens), Wintergreen oil (Gualtheria fragrantissima).
iv. Root/Rhizome Oils:
Costus oil (Saussurea lappa), Indian valerian oil (Valeriana wallichii), Curcuma oil (Curcuma aromatica), Cyperus oil (Cyperus scariosus), Sweet flag oil (Acorus calamus).
v. Flower Oils:
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Jasmine oil (Jasminum officinale), Rose oil (Rosa damascena), Keora oil (Pandanus odoratissimus), Tagtes oil (Tagetes indica), Champa oil (Michelia champaca), Lavander oil (Lavandula officinalis), Cassie perfume (Acacia fernesiana), Clove oil (Syzygium aromaticum).
vi. Other Essential Oils:
Citrus oil/Lime oil (Citrus aurantifolia), Petgrain oil (Citrus aurantium and Citrus limettioides). Orange oil (Citrus sinensis), Mandarin oil (Citrus reticulata), Cinnamoum oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum), Nutmeg oil (Myristica fragrans), Salai gum oil (Boswellia serrata).
Product # 2. Gums, Resins and Latex:
Gums, resins and latexes are perhaps the most widely used and traded category of non- wood forest products. A recent estimate put the value of the world market for gums used as food additives at about US$ 10 billion. Of which the two largest forest gums viz., gum arabic and locust bean accounted for just over 12 per cent. Indonesia, India and the People’s Republic of China are among the world’s biggest producers of gums and resins. Sudan and Indonesia are the world’s two biggest exporters of natural gums and resins.
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Gums are translucent, amorphous substances which are degradation products of the cell wall of woody species. They exude spontaneously from trees and are soluble in water. The gums are useful in food, pharmaceutical and miscellaneous technical applications. In the food industry, advantage is taken of their thickening, stabilizing, emulsifying and suspending properties and they are employed in a very wide range of products, both foods and drinks.
In the pharmaceutical industry, they are used as binding agents in tablets and as suspending and emulsifying agents in creams and lotions. It also has some specific applications in the dental and medical fields. Miscellaneous end users include the printing and textile industries.
Resins, including oleoresins and balsams, have an equally diverse range of applications. They are used in paints, varnishes and lacquers. Some resins, especially the soft resins and balsams, are used as sources of fragrances and pharmaceuticals, usually after preparation of a suitable solvent extract or distillation of a volatile oil.
i. Acacia Gums:
Babul (Acacia nilotica), True gum arabic (A. Senegal), Khair (A. catechu), A. modesta, A. fernesiana, A. luecophloea.
ii. Other Gums:
Karaya gum (Sterculia urens), Cochlospermum religiosum, Semal (Bombax ceiba), Astragalus heratensis, Kapok (Ceiba pentandra), Hog tragacanth (Prunus amygdalus), Cherry gum (Prunus armeniaca), Bengal kino (Butea monosperma), Gum kino (Pterocarpus marsupium), Jhingan gum (Lannea coromandelica), Salai gum (Boswellia serrata), Moringa gum (Moringa pterygosperma), Dhaura/Ghatti gum (Anogeissus latifolia), Semla gum (Bauhinia retusa), Madiata gum (Adenanthera pavonina), Gutta percha gum (Dichopsis polyantha), Eucalyptus kino (Eucalyptus globulus), Lemon scented gum (Eucalyptus citriodora).
iii. Minor Gums:
Albizia chinensis, A. odoratissima, A. procera, Anacardium occidentale, Azadirachta indica, Bauhinia purpurea, B. racemosa, B. variegata, Chloroxylon swietenia, Feronia limonia, Mangifera indica, Terminalia alata, T. bellerica, Agele marmelos, Ailanthus excelsa, Pithecellobium dulce, Spondias pinnata, Borassus flabellifer, Buchanania latifolia, Calophyllum apetalum, C. elatum, C. inophyllum, Chukrasia tabularis, Delonix regia, Elaeodendron glaucum, Gardenia turgida, Gaurga pinnata, Macaranga peltata, Prosopis juliflora, P. cineraria, Zizyphus sativa.
iv. True Resins:
Balck dammar (Canarium strictum), Rock dammer (Hopea odorata), Green dammar (Shorea tumbuggaia), White dammar (Vateria indica), Amber (Pinus succinfera), Lacquer (Rhus vernicifera), Shell lac (Laccifer lacca), Mastic (Pistacia lentiscus), Sand arac (Callitris quadrivalvis), Storax (Atingia excelsa).
v. Other True Resins:
Abies excela, A. webbiana, Ailanthus malabarica, Cannabis sativa, Carica papaya, Daemonorops kurzianus, Juniperus communis, Liquidambar orientalis, Styrax benzoin.
vi. Oleo Resins:
Salai gum (Boswellia serrata), Gurjan oil (Dipterocarpus turbinatus), Kingiodendron pinnatum, Cedrus deodara, Erythroxylon monogynum, Melanorrhoea usitata, Pinus insularis, Pinus roxburghii, Pinus wallichiana, Shorea robusta.
vii. Gum Resins:
Gamboge (Garcinia morella), Myrrah/Gugal (Commiphora mukul), Galbanum (Ferula galbaniflua), Asafoetida (Ferula asafoetida), Diospyros peregrina, Dikamali/ Cumbi gum (Gardenia gummifera).
viii. Latex:
Chilte (Cnidoscolus spp.), Chicle (Manilkara zapota), Rubber latex (Hevea brasiliensis).
Product # 3. Fibres and Flosses:
Fibres:
Agave sisalana, Streculia villosa, Abroma augusta, Abutilon spp, Ananas cosmosus, Antiaris toxicaria, Boehmeria nivea, Borassus flabellifer, Cannabis sativa, Cordia dichotoma, C. rothii, Giradinia heterophylla, Grewia glabra, G. elastica, G. optiva, Hibiscus spp, Malachra capitata, Marsdenia tenacissima, M. volubilis, Phormium tenax, Sansevieria roxburghiana, Sesbania bispinosa, Sida rhombifolia, Sterculia foetida, S. urens, Themeda arundinacea, Trema orientalis, Typha elephantina, Urena lobata, Oreocnide integrifolia.
Flosses:
Indian Kapok (Bombax ceiba), Kapok or Silkcotton (Ceiba pentandra)
Product # 4. Tannins and Dyes:
I. Tannins:
i. Bark Tans:
Acacia mearnsii, A. dealbata, A. nilotica, Acacia auriculiformis, Cassia fistula, Cassia auriculata, Rhizophora mucronata, Ceriops roxburghiana, Terminalia arjuna, Shorea robusta
ii. Fruit Tans:
Terminalia chebula, T. bellerica, Acacia nilotica, Emblica officinalis, Zizyphus xylocarpa, Caesalpinia coriaria
iii. Leaf Tans:
Anogeissus latifolia, Emblica officinalis, Carissa spinarum
iv. Gall Tans:
Tamarix spp.
II. Dyes:
i. Wood Dyes:
Kutch dye (Acacia catechu) and other dyes from Artocarpus heterophyllus, A. lakoocha, Pterocarpus santalinus, Caesalpinia sappan
ii. Bark Dyes:
Terminalia tomentosa, Acacia concinna, A. farnesiana, A. leucophloea, Alnus spp, Casuarina equisetifolia, Manilkara littoralis, Myrica esculenta, Ventilago madraspatana
iii. Flower and Fruit Dyes:
Mallotus philippensis, Woodfordia floribunda, Bixa orellana, Butea monosperma, Toona ciliata, Nyctanthes arbortristis, Mammea longifolia, Wrightia tinctoria, Crocus sativus
iv. Root Dyes:
Berberis aristata, Datisca cannabina, Morinda tinctoria, Punica granatum, Rubia cordifolia
v. Leaf Dyes:
Indigofera tinctoria, Lawsonia inermis
Product # 5. Edible Plant Products:
i. Edible Fruits:
Chironji (Buchanania lanzan), Aonla (Emblica officinalis), Tamarind (Tamarindus indica), Bael (Aegle marmelos), Wood apple (Feronia elephantum), Barhal (Artocarpus lakoocha), Jamun (Syzygium cuminii), Custard apple (Annona squamosa), Carissa opaca, Karaunda (Carisa carandas), Ber (Zizyphus jujuba),
ii. Edible Nuts:
Cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale), Chilgoza (Pinus gerardiana), Walnut (Juglans regia), Almond (Prunus dulcis)
iii. Edible Flowers:
Mahua (Madhuca indica), M. longifolia, Musa spp, Bombax ceiba, Bauhinia purpurea, Alangium salvifolium, Ficus glomerata, Sesbania grandiflora, Rhododenron arboreum
iv. Roots and Tubers:
Amorphophallus campanulatus, Dioscorea belophylla, D. oppositifolia, lpomoea aquatica, Bamboos
v. Leaves:
Agave americana, Aloe vera, Moringa oleifera, Antidesma diandrum, Fern species
vi. Fungi:
Agaricus campestris, Morchella esculenta, Volvaria terastius, Collybia albuminosa
Product # 6. Bamboos, Canes and Palms
i. Bamboo:
Bamboo is a major non-wood forest product and wood substitute. There are about 1,250 species of bamboo in some 75 genera in the world. It is found in all regions of the world and plays an important economic and cultural role. India is the second richest country in bamboo genetic resources after China. These two countries together have more than half the total bamboo resources globally.
It is reported that 136 species of bamboos are occurring in India. Used for housing, crafts, pulp, paper, panels, boards, veneer, flooring, roofing, fabrics, oil, gas and charcoal (for fuel and as an excellent natural absorbent), it is also a healthy vegetable (the bamboo shoot). Bamboo industries are now thriving in Asia and are quickly spreading across the continents to Africa and America.
Because of its versatile uses, it is referred as “Green Gold” and “Cradle to Coffin Timber.” Over 100 species of bamboos occur naturally in India. The major bamboos in India are Bambusa bambos, B. tulda, B. nutans, B. vulgaris, B. pallida, B. polymorpha, Bambusa balcooa, Dendrocalamus strictus, D. hamiltonii, D. brandisii, D. giganteus, Melocanna baccifera, Ochlandra spp., Gigantochloa spp., Melocalamus spp., Phyllostachys spp., Sinarundinaria spp.
ii. Canes/Rattan:
They are stems of climbing palms of genus Calamus consisting about 30 species. Climbing often attain a length of even 100 m. They are usually cylindrical and have uniform thickness, solid and pale white to yellow in colour. Outer surface is hard, smooth and shinning. Mature culms are cut at the base and dried in sun or fire.
Silica layer is removed by rubbing the freshly harvested cane over a knife or sharp piece of bamboo or rubbing with soapstone after steeping the cane in water. After desilication, cane is bleached by fumigation with burning sulphur. After bleaching, natural colour lustre is lost and it is again polished with woolen rag or soapstone. To get reddish colour, canes are treated by smoking over fire and then polished with coconut oil.
Cane is used in variety of ways due to its pliability, strength and long length. It is used in walking sticks, polo sticks, umbrella handles, baskets and cane furniture. The important species of cane are Calamus acanthospathus, C. guruba, C. tenuis, C. viminalis, C. rotang, C. andamanicus, C. brandisii, C. flagellum, C. gambeli, C. gracilis, C. latifolius, C. pulstris, C. rheedei, Daemonorops kurzanius, Plectocomia himalyana. Among these, Calamus tenuis is the common cane of north India.
iii. Palms:
Palms are monocots, included in the section of Angiosperms characterized by bearing a single seed leaf. Scientifically, palms are classified under the family Palmae (or Arecaceae) and are perennial, distinguished by having woody stems. Palms are important NWFP with numerous uses such as food, beverages, oil, fuel, feed, fertilizer, building material, furniture, games and toys, ornamental uses, medicinal uses etc. The important palm genus are Areca, Arenga, Bentinckia, Corypha, Hyphaene, Licuala, Livistona, Loxococcus, Oncosperma, Phoenix, Pinanga, Wallichia, Caryota, Nypa and Borassus.