About Silver cockscomb:
- It is a short-lived 50-60 cm-tall plant considered as a weed, that bears simple, spirally arranged leaves around the stem with pinkish or silky white flowers.
- In Karnataka’s Chamarajanagara district the silver cockscomb is referred to as anne soppu.
- Also known as lagos spinach which belongs to the Amaranthaceae family, which includes economically important plants like spinach (Spinacia oleracea), beetroot and quinoa.
- The plant is known as Celosia argentea, kurdu in Marathi and pannai keerai in Tamil.
- It grows well even on fallow land and in drought-like conditions.
- Its leaves have lower levels of oxalic acid and phytic acid.
- Benefits
- Soligas use it as a nutritious leafy green vegetable, as it is high in nutrients such as beta-carotene and folic acids, and have vitamin E, calcium and iron.
- It is frequently used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for treating eye diseases and ulcers.
Who are Soligas?
- They are an indigenous tribe of Karnataka,
- They reside in the peripheral forest areas near Biligiri Rangana Hills and Male Mahadeshwara in the Chamarajnagar district of Karnataka.
- They are the first tribal community living inside the core area of a tiger reserve in India to get their forest rights officially recognised by a court of law.
Q1) What are Micronutrients?
Micronutrients are essential nutrients required by living organisms, including humans, in small quantities for proper growth, development, and various physiological functions.
Source: Green promise: Silver cockscomb isn’t a troublesome weed for Karnataka’s Soliga tribe
Last updated on June, 2025
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