Polygala arillata Buch –Ham ex. D.

Don ( Marcha Plant):

An Indeterminate Plant toward the risk of Extinction
Parbakhar Poudel,
Email:parbakhar@gmail.com

Abstract:

Study of plants used in yeast cake (Marcha) was carried out in the Taplejung district of
eastern Nepal. Persons directly involved in collection of plant, preparation of yeast cake
and local wine; and businessmen related to these activities were taken as key informants.
Detailed information related to plants, harvesting practices, market system, conservation
status and culturing practices of yeast cake was collected by Participatory rural appraisal
(PRA), Rapid rural appraisal (RRA) and direct observation methods and Rapid
Vulnerability Assessment were carried for Marcha plant. Polygala arillata has been used
as a compulsory and effective ingredient of marcha for fermentation considering the taste
and intoxication capacity of alcoholic products. High score in Vulnerability assessment
shows the threatened condition, which is due to its vulnerable, used parts, slow
regeneration pattern, high demand, illegal trade, and unsustainable and unscientific
harvesting practices.

Key words: Mongolian society, yeast cake, harvesting, vulnerability.

Introduction
Alcoholic fermentation by fungi is the universal basis of brewing and baking industry
based on the fact the fermentation of sugar solution by yeast produces alcohol and carbon
dioxide. Alcoholic beverages have played an important role in human cultural life both in
eastern and western societies. Marcha (yeast cake) is locally made and widely used
fermentation starter in rural indigenous communities of Nepal. Home made alcoholic
products (Jaand, Roxi, Bhatti, Chhyang etc.) have great cultural and religious value in the
indigenous Matwali(who take alcoholic products ) society of Nepal.

Locally prepared Marcha is the molded form of raw cereals (whole grain, grits or flour)
and certain plants powder with different microorganisms in the form of a cake or ball.
The microorganisms in yeast cake include Hensenula anomala, Mucor fragilis,
Rhizopus., Saccharomyces spp, etc.(Tamang et.al 1996). People of eastern Nepal have
been using a number of medicinal plants as a compulsory ingredient of Marcha during
moulding (Poudel, 2007). They use plant powder of more than two specific plants,
believing that these enhance the quality of the alcoholic products in taste and intoxication
capacity (Poudel , 2007).

Marcha plant (Polygala arillata ), a member of Polygalaceae, has been found widely
used and a compulsory ingredient of Marcha. The distribution of plant in certain
altitudinal range, use of vulnerable parts, pattern of selection, unsustainable and
unscientific harvesting practice etc drew the attention of researcher to carry out this study
in order to asses the vulnerability of this plant
 About Plant
Family: Polygalaceae
Genus: Polygala
Species: arillata Buch-Ham. Ex D. Don.
Common Name: Red eye or Yellow Milkwort
Nepali Name: Marcha Plant
Limbu Name: Khesang Taii, Neselekma
Rai Name : Wathangma
Flowering Time: June – September
Fruitint time: July- November
Ecology : Understorey shrub( 120- 240 cm)
Altitudinal Range: 1500-2700 m asl
Distribution: Himalaya, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar.
The only species of shrubby polygala is found
in Nepal with large flower.

Study Area
This study was carried out in Taplejung, the mountainous district of eastern Nepal. The
area of Taplejung is 3646 sq km and about 19.5 % area falls under temperate zone (2000-
3000 msl), which is considered as suitable habitat for Marcha plant.

Materials and Methods

Assessment of the vulnerability of to harvesting of Polugala arillata use by indigenous
community of Taplejung district was conducted by adapting the method of Rapid
Vulnerability Assessment (Cunningham, 1996 and formalized by Wild and Mutebi,
1996). The scoring proceeds as follows (after Messerschmitt et al 2001).Potential threats are
ranked categorically by placing a check mark in the appropriate column (Scoring: 0 for no
vulnerability, 1 for low vulnerability, 2 for moderate vulnerability, and 3 for high
vulnerability).The scoring number of each respective column was added and final score was
made. Score 0 to 15 implies low vulnerability; no cause for alarm.Score 16 to 30 implies
moderate vulnerability; the species can withstand collection pressure. Score over 31 implies high
vulnerability, high probability of population decline if sustainable use rules not implemented.

The field survey was carried out two times in 2006 in the monsoon and post monsoon
season and systematic client consultation was made( In the direction of, Drunkard-
Innkeepers -Marcha Seller-Marcha Maker-Marcha Plant collector ). The time was
arranged just before the festival Dashain and Tihar when alcoholic products are prepared
in large quantity in each family, which can be relate the activities of Marcha preparation.
Rapport with key informants was made following the guidelines given by Jackson and
Ingles (1997). Money was also paid to key informants to break their reluctance to share
the information. The data for RVA were collected from literature, herbaria, local experts,
team observation and market survey through PRA and RRA. Due to the limited literature
and information available on this plant in different aspects present study attempts to
assess its vulnerability through primary and field based information. This aims to
measure the increased risk of extinction as a result of unsustainable and unscientific
harvesting practices or others perturbations.

Results and Discussion

The RVA for Marcha plant are:

i. Life Form: Slow growing, long-lived, slow reproducing plant species are more
vulnerable to over-exploitation than fast growing, short-lived, fast reproducing
ephemerals.
 Assessment: Marcha plant is slow growing, long lived shrub.
Rank: High vulnerability

ii. Habitat Specificity: Species with very narrow habitat requirements are likely to be
rarer and more vulnerable.
Assessment: Marcha plants reported growing between 1500 to 2700 msl. It
has a specific altitude band but wide enough.
Rank: Moderate vulnerability

iii. Abundance and Distribution: Abundant widely distributed species are less
vulnerable to overuse.

Assessment: Widely distributed species.

Rank: Low vulnerability

iv. Growth Rate: Slower growing species will be more vulnerable to use.

Assessment: Slow growing shrub.

Rank: High vulnerability

v. Response to Harvesting: The ability of a species to re-grow or increase its growth

rate as a response to harvesting affects its vulnerability.

Assessment: Chance of regeneration on harvesting place is very rare

Rank: High vulnerability

vi. Parts Used: The part used significantly affects sustainability e.g. use of leaves has
the least impact on the plant, than twigs, branches, bark, stems and lastly the whole
plant.

Assessment: Root bark

Rank: High vulnerability

vii. Pattern of Selection and Use: If a certain size, age or quality of a plant is used, the
remaining population may ensure the survival of species.

Assessment: No certain size or age for harvesting

Rank: High vulnerability

viii. Demand: The level of demand has a major impact on the plant. Demand is made up
of two factors – the quantity harvested and the frequency of harvest.

Assessment: High demand on local market

Rank: High vulnerability

ix. Seasonal Harvesting: Demand may be reduced if harvesting is restricted to seasons.

Assessment: No seasonal restriction

Rank: High vulnerability

x. Traditional Conservation Practices: Many cultures have developed practices to

control use. When demand increases, especially if the resource becomes
commercially exploited, these traditional practices often break down.

Assessment: Neither law to protect, nor any conservation actions have been
practiced
 Rank: High vulnerability

xi. Commercialization: Once a product moves from subsistence use to

commercialization, the chances of unsustainable use increases.

Assessment: Still in subsistence use but have been taking a good space in local
market and outside
Rank: Moderate vulnerability

xii. Substitutes: The availability of substitutes affects species’ vulnerability indirectly by

reducing demand.

Assessment: No information about active chemical compounds but some plants have
been used as substitute for marcha..
Rank: Moderate vulnerability

Poudel (2007) incorporates one additional factors to the above list i.e. Collectors
specificity
xiii. Collectors Specificity: Collectors of all caste increase the chance of exploitation.

Assessment: Marcha plant is collects only by Indigenous Mongolian people .

Rank: Moderate vulnerability

Table 1: Rapid Vulnerability Assessment (RVA) Checklist for Polygala

Factor Remark Nil Low Moderate High
(0) (1) (2) (3)
1. Life Form Shrub √
2. Habitat Specificity 1500-2700 msl √
3. Abundance and Distribution Widely distributed √
4. Growth Rate Slow growing √
5. Response to Regeneration √
Harvesting probability very less
6. Parts Used Root bark √
7. Pattern of Selection No certain age and size √
and Use
8. Demand High √
9. Seasonal Harvesting No seasonal restriction √
10. Traditional Conservation No traditional √
practices management
11. Commercialization Subsistence use √
12. Substitutes Yes but prefer it √
13. Collectors Specificity Mongolian people only √
Sub-Totals 0 1 8 24
Grand-Total 33

The score of vulnerability was 33 indicating high vulnerability. High vulnerability

implies the high decline of population if rules of sustainable uses not implemented. There are
some options to bring the plant in moderately vulnerable state. The active compounds, which
make the quality alcoholic products, are still unidentified. Other parts also may serve the same
function. There is no any scientific fact about the utilization of root bark only; other parts of
plants might perform the same functions. Another thing to reduce the vulnerability is to make the
harvesting system sustainable. Present harvesting system is unsustainable because there is no
chance of regeneration on the same place once plant is uprooted to collect its bark. The market
system is also in an unmanaged form and which has brought the unhealthy competition to collect
the plants .Now the plants bark is exported to other the countries illegally. Identification and
separation of effective chemical compounds as specific ingredients for fermentation starter to
produce the quality alcoholic products regarding its taste and intoxication capacity, may lead a
revolution in distillery and commercialization of this plant.

Acknowledge
Author is thankful to all key informants who provided me valuable information in this research
crossing their traditional boundaries of secrecy and reluctances.

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