Gathering and processing of lyme-grass (Elymus arenarius L.) in Iceland: an ethnohistorical account

Lyme-grass (Elymus arenarius L.) was harvested and processed for human consumption along the southern coast of Iceland until the beginning of this century. The origin of this exploitation is not known, but lyme-grass may have been gathered for this purpose already in the Viking Age. The system of processing lyme-grass is complex, and special implements and facilities are needed. The method is similar to traditional processing methods for cereals. Extensive research on Icelandic ethnographic observations was undertaken to establish the exact methods and sequence of operations that was involved. On the basis of this, a set of archaeological experiments was performed to test the viability of the processing techniques outlined in the written records. A model describing the harvesting and processing of lyme-grass is presented.     

民族植物学应重视“人类利用实践对植物资源影响”的研究

对民族民间利用植物资源的传统知识进行调查编目、探究相关传统知识形成的原因和影响因素一直是民族植物学研究的重点内容.作为“人与植物”之间关系中一个重要领域——人类利用实践对植物资源影响的研究却相对被忽略.重视这一研究领域,既可以为民族植物学方法及原理在植物资源保护与可持续利用实践提供理论依据,从而有助于推动民族植物学研究进入“应用阶段”,同时也拓展了民族植物学研究领域.其中,人类采集活动(尤其是越来越严重的商业性采集)对植物资源的影响应该受到民族植物学家的重点关注.     

湖南通道侗族端午节中的民族植物学

通过长期的民族植物学调查,我们发现通道侗族端午节文化习俗古老,保留有传统的祭祀、药浴、配戴饰品、食用保健野菜等习俗.在端午节中,人们利用的植物种类丰富,用于悬挂门户的植物有4种,涉及4科4属;用于药浴的植物有31种,涉及20科28属;用于保健的野生植物有47种,涉及33科44属.这些植物大多为野生药用植物,它们作用不一,用法也不尽相同,而其中一些能用来悬挂、药浴及保健的植物未见有相关报道,它们所包含的科学知识需要进一步去揭示.通道侗族聚居区的民族植物学知识蕴藏丰富,值得仔细深入地发掘和全面研究.     

Patterns of use and knowledge of wild edible plants in distinct ecological environments: a case study of a Mapuche community from northwestern Patagonia

The multiple use of distinct ecological environments in the search for wild resources has been practiced since ancestral times in aboriginal communities inhabiting northwestern Patagonia. This paper examines the actual use and knowledge of wild edible plants in a Mapuche community presently settled in one of the most arid areas of Patagonia, far from the temperate forests where their ancestors used to live. The difference between knowledge of and use of wild plants is analyzed emphasizing that these differences could contribute to the understanding of eroding processes believed to be occurring in the community. These objectives are studied quantitatively by utilizing ethnobotanical indices, partially derived from ecological theory. Our results indicate that the Paineo dwellers still utilize multiple ecological gathering environments and have thorough plant knowledge of both native and exotic species. The Andean forest, more than 50km away from this community, is the environment from which the Paineo dwellers know the greatest total richness and the highest diversity of wild edible plants, followed by the Monte–Steppe species and lastly, those growing around their homes. The transmission of wild edible plant knowledge in the Paineo community diminishes with age, and the forest plants are the most vulnerable to loss. Our results have shown that the knowledge and consumption of wild edible plants follows a pattern according to ecological conditions of the gathering environments, as well as the cultural heritage of the Paineo people.     

中国秋海棠属植物的传统利用

秋海棠属植物除了具有较高的观赏价值外,在中国还作为药用、食用、饮料和饲料等被利用。本文应用民族植物学研究方法,通过野外调查、文献和标本收集整理和研究,共记载了中国产26种秋海棠属植物被作为药用、食用、饮料和饲料加以利用。在所记载的26种国产秋海棠属植物中,有24种作药用,8种作食用(蔬菜)或饮料,5种作饲料。3种作饮料的种类在其自然分布地被广泛利用。9种秋海棠作为多种用途加以利用,其中8种既被作为药用、食用和饮料,也被作为饲料加以利用。本研究还表明,国产秋海棠属植物中,有些种类由于过度采集利用或其它因素已变得稀有或濒危。由此提出,合理开发利用和有效保护应成为今后中国秋海棠属植物研究的重要内容。     

西双版纳傣族利用野生蔬菜种类变化及原因分析

运用民族植物学的方法,选择西双版纳自然及社会经济发展不同的三个傣族村寨曼安、曼伞和曼广囡为研究对象,调查当地村民利用野生蔬菜情况,并探讨利用种类变化的原因。三个傣族村寨村民利用的野生蔬菜有228种,分属于75个科,其中曼安村寨147种,曼伞村寨144种,曼广囡村寨105种。通过Multivariate方差分析(P<0.05)表明:不同村寨的村民平均每人提及的野生蔬菜物种数存在显著差异;年轻组平均每人提及的野生蔬菜物种数明显低于年长组,不同性别之间差异不显著;野生蔬菜知识的流失在男性之间比女性更为严重。最后对影响野生蔬菜利用的因素,野生蔬菜利用变化的原因以及传统野生蔬菜知识的流失进行了分析,就如何保护传统知识进行了探讨。     

The uses,local perceptions and ecological status of 16 woody species of Gadumire Sub-county,Uganda

Populations of naturally growing woody species valued for their contribution to human livelihoods are threatened with extinction. Most at risk are those existing in human inhabited areas outside protected areas that are subjected to high population pressure and to a variety of land use demands. The sustainable utilization of these plants requires as a first step knowledge, including, their ecology and an understanding of the peoples attitudes to conservation. This study was conducted to generate data that would contribute to the management for conservation and sustainable use of woody resources. The study objectives were to document local knowledge covering the uses, status, threats, habitats and management solutions of woody species; determine the abundances, distribution and population structure of 16 woody species, and assess the conservation status of the selected woody species. The study was carried out in Gadumire Sub-county, Uganda using both an ethnobotanical approach and quantitative ecological methods. The species are multipurpose and are exploited to satisfy different subsistence needs. They had population densities ranging between 3.6 and 2630 individuals ha⁻¹, and distributions ranging between 0.3 and 39.5%. The species Acacia hockii, Albizia zygia, Acacia seyal, Markhamia lutea and Albizia coriaria had a good conservation status. The remainder of the species appear threatened either because they had low densities, frequencies or less steep size class distribution (SCD) slopes. Securidaca longipedunculata Fres. was not encountered at all in the study plots. Community perceptions collaborated the measured population dynamics. The major threats believed to be impacting the species by the community are the growing human population, expanding crop agriculture, poor harvesting methods and over-exploitation of the species.     

Traditional Ecological Knowledge of a Riverine Forest in Turkana, Kenya: Implications for Research and Management

The present study explores traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of Turkana pastoralists and cultivators in the context of a riverine forest in northern Kenya. The Turkwel River and its floodplain sustain a thick forest, which is used for grazing and extraction of non-timber forest products. However, sedentarisation and agricultural expansion have resulted in localised clear-felling of trees, while river damming has altered the natural flow regime. A series of structured, semi-structured, and group interviews were combined with a botanical inventory in order to assess the relevance of TEK to ecological research and forest conservation. Turkana informants gave 102 vernacular names for the 113 woody species. Of these, 85% had a domestic or pastoral use among the 105 specific uses that were described. Ethnobotanical knowledge was relatively homogenous and not related to age, gender, or source of livelihood. The informants had in-depth knowledge of some key ecological processes. The conceived threats to forest survival were primarily cultivation and permanent settlements, while the effects of river damming and livestock grazing were disputed. A claimed decline in rainfall was confirmed by official data. There is strong evidence that TEK could be used to generate hypotheses for research and to design sustainable conservation strategies. A revised version of the indigenous system of tree management should be incorporated into the official forestry policy in order to resolve future conflicts between pastoralists and cultivators.     

Economically and ecologically important plant communities in high altitude coniferous forest of Malam Jabba,Swat, Pakistan

A study on the economically important plant communities was carried out during summer 2008 in various parts of Malam Jabba valley, Swat. The principal aim of the study was phytosociological evaluation with special reference to the occurrence of commercially important medicinal plant species in coniferous forest of the study area. Secondly to prepare ethnobotanical inventory of the plant resources of the area, as well as to evaluate the conservation status of important medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) through rapid vulnerable assessment (RVA) procedure. The study documented 90 species of ethnobotanical importance, out of these 71 spp used as medicinal plant, 20 spp fodder plant, 10 spp vegetables, 14 spp wild fruit, 18 spp fuel wood, 9 spp furniture and agricultural tools, 9 spp thatching, fencing and hedges, 4 spp honey bee, 2 spp evil eyes, 2 spp religious and 3 spp as poison. Phytosociologically six plant communities were found, comprising five herbs-shrubs-trees communities and one meadow community. Further study is, therefore, required to quantify the availability of species and to suggest suitable method for their production and conservation. Recommendations are also given in the spheres of training in identification, sustainable collection, value addition, trade monitoring and cooperative system of marketing.     

紫堇属藏药的药用民族植物学研究

紫堇属植物在藏药中具有较悠久的历史,而且随着历史的发展藏医所使用的该属药用植物的种类也在不断增加.本文采用药用民族植物学研究中的文献研究法,对文献中有关藏医用该属药用植物资源的利用情况进行了整理和分析.结果发现,藏医对该属植物的命名具有一定的规律,但目前还没有人对此进行系统研究;不同地区的藏医在使用该属药用植物资源中存在着一定程度的差异,这可能与不同地区该属的种类分布不同有关;该属藏药植物中藏医主要用于治疗止血、肝胆疾病和流感等疾病.与丰富的该属植物种类相比,并结合藏医的利用情况,从该属植物中寻找新的药用资源具有一定的潜力.