Since generations wild plant species are exploited by human for medicine and food. Ethnobotanical studies are mainly concentrated around documentation of these species. An ehnobiological project conducted by Ministry of Environment and Forestes, New Delhi, resulted in reporting 3900 wild plant species uswd as edibles. However, negligible information is available regarding their nutritional potential. Present study was undertaken to evaluate the nutritional and medicinal potential of Bombax ceiba L.flowers which were found to be used by tribal and rural people of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India. Primary nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat, lipids, vit.C vit.A antioxidents and minerals were quantitatively estimated, while bioactive molecule profile was studied qualitatively. Flowers secrete abundant nectar; nectar chemistry was also studied.
