Indigenous artificial limb of Bombax ceiba L. (Bombacaceae) wood-A novel ethnobotanical use

Abstract

Bombax ceiba L. (Semal) is a large, deciduous tree which is very popular among indigenous communities for its multidimensional importance. It is not only a part of various socio-cultural rituals and traditions but also a part of ethnomedicine. Its wood, silk-cotton and seed-oil are very valuable in commerce. The present communication is about documentation of a novel use of wood of B. ceiba for preparation of an artificial limb from a tribal dominated region Kotra, near Udaipur, Rajasthan. This use of its wood has been reported for the first time and opens up the newer avenues to utilize the economic potential of the tree as a novel bio-resource.