Cultural Importance Indices: A Comparative Analysis Based on the Useful Wild Plants of Southern Cantabria (Northern Spain)<Superscript>1</Superscript>

Cultural Importance Indices: A Comparative Analysis Based on the Useful Wild Plants of Southern Cantabria (Northern Spain). This paper compares four indices based on informant consensus. Each index aims to assess the cultural significance of plant species and is suitable for statistical testing of different hypotheses. For the comparison, we used data concerning plants traditionally used in the Campoo area of southern Cantabria in northern Spain. Our results show a positive and significant correlation between the number of uses (NU) and the frequency of citation (FC) of the species. It seems to be a general rule that the more versatile a plant, the more widespread its usefulness. In addition, NU is highly influenced by the number of use-categories in the study. Consequently, an objective index must rely on FC more than NU. We propose the use of the cultural importance index (CI), which is defined as the summation of the informants’ proportions that mention each of the uses of the species. The CI index is highly correlated with FC and, although it also considers diversity of use, each use-category is conveniently weighted by the number of informants mentioning it. Despite the use of cultural significance indices being questioned, we believe that indices based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews are still very useful for compilation studies of passive knowledge, such as most ethnobotanical works conducted in the last three decades in Europe.     

A comparison of the wild food plant use knowledge of ethnic minorities in Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve, Yunnan, SW China

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Wild food plants (WFPs) contribute to the nutrition, economy and even cultural identity of people in many parts of the world. Different factors determine the preference and use of WFPs such as abundance, availability, cultural preference, economic conditions, shortage periods or unsecure food production systems. Understanding these factors and knowing the patterns of selection, use and cultural significance and value of wild food plants for local communities is helpful in setting priorities for conservation and/or domestication of these plants. Thus in this study knowledge of wild food plant use among four groups namely Dai, Lahu, Hani and Mountain Han in Naban River Watershed National Nature Reserve ((NRWNNR), Xishuangbanna were documented and analyzed to find the similarity and difference among their plant use. METHODS: Data on wild food plant use was collected through freelisting and semi-structured interviews and participatory field collection and direct observation. Botanical plant sample specimens were collected, prepared, dried and identified. RESULTS: A total of 173 species and subspecies from 64 families and one species of lichen (Ramalina sp.) are used as WFP. There were differences on the saliency of wild food plant species among four ethnic groups. Consensus analysis revealed that knowledge of wild food plant use for each ethnic group differs from others with some variation in each group. Among informant attributes only age was related with the knowledge if wild food plant use, whereas no significant relationship was found between gender and age*gender and informants knowledge of wild food plant use. CONCLUSION: Wild food plants are still used extensively by local people in the NRWNNR, some of them on a daily base. This diversity of wild food plants provide important source of nutrients for the local communities which much of their caloric intake comes from one or few crops. The results also show the role of ethnicity on the preference and use of wild food plants. There is a big potential for harvesting, participatory domestication and marketing of WFPs especially in the tourism sector in the area.     

Consequences of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade on Medicinal Plant Selection: Plant Use for Cultural Bound Syndromes Affecting Children in Suriname and Western Africa

Folk perceptions of health and illness include cultural bound syndromes (CBS), ailments generally confined to certain cultural groups or geographic regions and often treated with medicinal plants. Our aim was to compare definitions and plant use for CBS regarding child health in the context of the largest migration in recent human history: the trans-Atlantic slave trade. We compared definitions of four CBS (walk early, evil eye, atita and fontanels) and associated plant use among three Afro-Surinamese populations and their African ancestor groups in Ghana, Bénin and Gabon. We expected plant use to be similar on species level, and assumed the majority to be weedy or domesticated species, as these occur on both continents and were probably recognized by enslaved Africans. Data were obtained by identifying plants mentioned during interviews with local women from the six different populations. To analyse differences and similarities in plant use we used Detrended Component Analysis (DCA) and a Wald Chi-square test. Definitions of the four cultural bound syndromes were roughly the same on both continents. In total, 324 plant species were used. There was little overlap between Suriname and Africa: 15 species were used on two continents, of which seven species were used for the same CBS. Correspondence on family level was much higher. Surinamese populations used significantly more weedy species than Africans, but equal percentages of domesticated plants. Our data indicate that Afro-Surinamers have searched for similar plants to treat their CBS as they remembered from Africa. In some cases, they have found the same species, but they had to reinvent the largest part of their herbal pharmacopeia to treat their CBS using known plant families or trying out new species. Ideas on health and illness appear to be more resilient than the use of plants to treat them.     

Gender differences and regionalization of the cultural significance of wild mushrooms around La Malinche volcano, Tlaxcala, Mexico

The purpose of this study was to determine the cultural significance of wild mushrooms in 10 communities on the slopes of La Malinche volcano, Tlaxcala. The frequency and order of mention of each mushroom species in interviews of 200 individuals were used as indicators of the relative cultural significance of each species. A X(2) analysis was used to compare the frequency of mention of each species between males and females, and a Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the difference in the total number of fungi mentioned by either gender. Traditional names for mushroom species were documented and frequency of mention assessed through multivariate statistics. The fungi with highest frequency of mention were Amanita basii, Lyophyllum decastes, Boletus pinophilus, Gomphus floccosus and Cantharellus cibarius complex. We found significant differences in the frequency of mention of different fungi by males and females but no significant difference was found for the total number of fungi mentioned by either gender. Principal component analysis suggested a cultural regionalization of La Malinche volcano communities based on preferences for consumption and use of traditional names. We observed two groups: one formed by communities on the eastern part of the volcano (with mixed cultures) and the other including communities on the western slope (ethnic Nahua towns). San Isidro Buensuceso is the most distinct community, according to the criteria in this study.     

云南高黎贡山怒族对植物传统利用的初步研究

采用民族生物学和文化人类学等方法,广泛调查和研究了云南西北部高黎贡山地区怒族对植物的传统利用形式。结果表明：怒族对植物的传统利用主要表现在食用、药用、观赏、宗教祟拜和文化利用等方面。讨论了怒族的传统文化在当地植物多样性利用和管理中的作用和意义,并探讨了在植物多样性管理中传统管理和现代管理之间的关系以及在我国利用文化多样性进行自然生态环境保护的可能性、必要性和可行性。此外,面对优秀的传统文化知识和文化多样性逐渐消失的现实,作者建议加以拯救和广泛的研究。     

内蒙古通辽市库伦旗蒙古族庭园植物农业生物多样性分析——以芒汗苏木毛敦塔拉嘎查为例

庭园是形成和保存农业生物多样性的基本单位,也是野生植物和栽培植物聚集的场所。在农村,庭园的主要作用是提供日常生活所需,还可产生收入。庭园中不仅存在较高的生物多样性,而且庭园也有很多社会、文化、生态方面等功能。该研究针对通辽市库伦旗芒汗苏木毛敦塔拉嘎查蒙古族,采用随机抽样和农户推荐的方式选择了11个农户,以农户的整个庭园面积为样方,设立11个样方进行农业生物多样性分析,并用漫谈式访谈和半结构调查方法进行庭园植物及其经济效益调查。结果表明:毛敦塔拉嘎查蒙古族庭园植物物种丰富度较高,庭园植物共有96种,包括栽培及野生的植物蔬菜类33种、水果用19种、观赏用20种、饲料用8种、药食兼用5种、其它用途类16种,其中有些种类具有多种用途;毛敦塔拉嘎查各农户庭园植物的多样性随着庭园类型及庭园管理者的特征而不同;庭园面积大且种植大量经济作物的庭园经济效益高;据调查当地庭园的经营模式具有生态种植型、综合经营型、庭园养殖型三种类型。这些庭园植物不仅对当地农牧民的生活具有广泛作用而且对农业生物多样性保护具有深远意义。     

An ethnobotanical study of the indigenous knowledge by the Rajbangshi community of Raiganj Block,Uttar Dinajpur district,West Bengal,India

BackgroundThe present study deals with documentation of medicinal importance of plants and traditional knowledge set harboring among the ethnic communities to utilize various plant parts for various health care practices. Twelve villages were surveyed primarily targeting the Rajbangshi communities of Raiganj Block, Uttar Dinajpur district, West Bengal, India.MethodsThe ethnomedicinal information was gathered through interviews using semi- structured questionnaires among the traditional healers (Kabiraj) of the Rajbangshi community. Identification and documentation of all the plants species have been completed following standard taxonomic procedure. The collected data were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed through different ethnobotanical indices like, use report, informant consensus factor and relative importance.ResultsA total of 76 plant species belonging to 40 families and 72 genera were reported to have been utilized for the treatment of a total of 42 types of ailments. Herbs (43%) were the major source of medicine while roots (31%) were most frequently used plant parts. Preparation of juice (55%) from plant parts accounted as most preferred method. Achyranthes aspera L. has the highest calculated relative importance (100) value. The average informant consensus factor value for all ailments categories was 0.75, indicating a high level of consensus among the interviewed informants.ConclusionThe present study clearly demonstrates that huge diversity of medicinal plants reported in the study area may immensely help in the development of novel drugs of natural origin if the traditional knowledge set of the Rajbangshi community is adequately nurtured.     

Gathering "tea" - from necessity to connectedness with nature. Local knowledge about wild plant gathering in the Biosphere Reserve Grosses Walsertal (Austria)

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Wild plant gathering is an essential element in livelihood strategies all over the world. However due to changing circumstances in Europe, the reason for gathering has altered from one of necessity in the past to a pleasurable activity today. Wild plant gathering has therefore also received renewed attention as a form of intangible cultural heritage expressing local preferences, habits and man's relationship with nature. In the Biosphere Reserve Grosses Walsertal (Austria), local people's knowledge of the gathering of wild plants and their perception of their own gathering activities are being documented. The focus of this paper is on the uses of herbal teas and the informal guidelines for gathering plants that have been issued by the Bergtee (mountain tea) association. METHODS: Thirty-six free-list interviews were conducted with subsequent semi-structured interviews and three focus group meetings held with members of the Bergtee association. Participatory observation (gathering and processing plants, mixing and marketing tea) also allowed for greater understanding of what had been reported. RESULTS: In total, 140 different gathered plant species were listed by respondents. Herbal tea is the most frequently mentioned use. The Bergtee association, founded by a young man and two middle-aged women in the valley, is a good example of the link between biological and cultural diversity, with the aim of sharing the biosphere reserve's natural treasures as well as local plant-related knowledge in the form of herbal tea products. The association's informal guidelines for gathering reflect people's attitude to nature: monetary income does not play a major role in gathering plants; instead people's appreciation of the value of the nature around them is to the fore. CONCLUSIONS: Gathering wild plants can be seen as an expression of people's regional identity. The conscious appreciation of nature and related local knowledge is crucial for the sustainable conservation and use of the Biosphere Reserve's resources.     

Quantitative ethnobotanical study of therapeutic plants of Amarkantak hills in Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve,Central India

Amarkantak is a natural heritage site with luxuriant flora on the hilly terrain of Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve, Central India. The Gonds, Baigas, and other ethnic communities in the area have a wealth of traditional knowledge and practice phytotherapy as health practitioners. The study was undertaken to document the plants of ethnopharmacological significance and their quantitative analyses. The traditional knowledge was collected from informants using open interviews and semi-structured questionnaires. Including 42 health practitioners, a total of 286 respondents were interviewed. The data were analyzed through quantitative indices like Use value (UV), Family use-value (FUV), Relative Importance (RI), Fidelity level (FL), and Informant consensus factor (ICF). The findings on sociocultural demography and therapeutic utilization of plants were discussed in the context of previously published information. The report explained that 173 species belonging to 148 genera and 65 plant families were used against 17 disease categories. The highly mentioned families are Fabaceae (11.5%), Asteraceae (6.9%), Apocynaceae (5.7%), and Lamiaceae (5.7%). The most cited species are Andrographis paniculata, Ocimum sanctum, Tinospora sinensis, Holarrhena pubescens, Cyanoglossum lanceolatum, and Azadirachta indica, within 0.66–0.68 UV. Herbs (45.6%), leaves (17%), and hot infusion (22%) were the most preferred plant forms, employed parts, and recipes for the preparation of drugs. The gastrointestinal illness was the leading cause of concern in the area with 95 reports and a maximum ICF (0.71). The Hypoxidaceae family with a single highly used medicinal plant had the highest FUV (0.54). Curcuma longa (RI: 61.42) was found to be the most suitable species for treating a wide range of body systems. A. paniculata was the most chosen therapeutic plant with the highest FL (90.9). The findings look into a few key plant species with high use values that deserve special attention in drug development. The report recommends that ethnomedicinal plants be studied further for scientific validation after in vitro and in vivo investigations in disease-induced animal models, as well as safety assessments and clinical trials, to ensure safe therapy.     

Disentangling Competition, Herbivory, and Seasonal Effects on Young Plants in Newly Restored Communities

Optimizing techniques of impact and consequence assessment are critical when faced with the challenges of reclamation within a damaged or altered ecosystem. Much debate has arisen over an appropriate index to evaluate herbivore and competition effects on restored communities. We assessed concurrent environmental pressures by means of repeated measurements using three common indices of plant performance (biomass, shoot extension, and survival) in conjunction with monitoring for number and timing of plants eaten. Our design incorporated 24 species, representing a range of taxonomic groups and growth forms, planted at low and high densities, inside and outside large‐scale mammal exclosures. We demonstrate that biomass and height measurements are correlated (at both the individual and the combined species levels), whereas the survival index often showed independent information. Using the most conservative measure (survival), we delineate between plant deaths attributed to seasonal effects, competition (some facilitation was apparent), and herbivory (both compensation and loss of fitness were demonstrated). Plant spacing effects depended on the index (response variable) and whether we measured individual or combined species. The survival index rarely showed competition effects. Due to counter facilitation effects, competition was not demonstrated for any index at the combined species level. The comparison of the relative order and magnitude of plants being eaten against impact identified vulnerable and compensating species. Once identified, compensating species may be used sacrificially to buffer damage in new reclamation systems, whereas deterrents may be used around known vulnerable species.     

Quantitative ethnobotany of medicinal plants uses in the Jhelum valley,Azad Kashmir,Pakistan

Indigenous knowledge provides information on phytotherapeutic potential of medicinal plants for basic health care mangements in local communinites. The present study was aimed to document folklore knowledge of ethnic communities, who are practicing the herbal medicines in the Jhelum valley (District Hattian), Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. The information regarding folklore use of plants was collected from local communities through informed consent semi- structured interviews from 152 key informants. The ethnobotanical data were quantitatively analyzed using indices of use value (UV), relative frequency citation (RFC) and Informant census factor (ICF). A total of 113 medicinal plant species belong to 52 families were documented in the local communites of Jhelum Valley. The Asteraceae and Polygonaceae were the dominant plant families. The plant species hold potential folklore uses against hepatitis, stomach and respiratory problems, tooth ache, skin ailments and tumor treatment. The whole plants (32.52%), leaves ((21.14%)) were highly consumed plant parts and decoction (22.99%), powder form (18.39%) and infusion (13.79%) was the commonly used method for herbal formulation. The species with maximum use value was Beberis lyceum (0.80) and Valeriana jatamansi (0.60). The highest ICF value was obtained for disease catergories that is ear pain (1.00) followed by heaptic disorder (0.94) and urinary system disorders (0.89). The lowest ICF value was recored for nervous system disorders (0.44). The present study disclosed that traditional knowledge of medicinal plants is still widespread in ethnic people, but gradually decline in youngers. Documentation of newly documented plant species with their folklore uses shall uphold further phytochemical and pharmacological studies.     

云南鹤庆白依人植物染料的民族植物学研究

植物染料有绿色环保、安全性高等优势,但其资源量少、成本高、色牢度低等缺点限制了植物染料在工业化的应用。云南鹤庆白依人有植物染色的传统习俗,当地有丰富的染料植物资源和传统染色工艺。为调查、记录和研究白依人植物染色和相关传统知识,拓展植物染料资源并促进植物染料的开发利用,该研究对大理州鹤庆县六合彝族乡白依人植物染色及相关传统知识进行了民族植物学调研。2019年9月至2020年3月,对大理州鹤庆县六合彝族乡4个村落的288位信息报告人进行半结构式访谈,对当地植物染料进行实地调研,以参与式观察法记录传统植物染色技艺,通过定量分析法对传统植物染色知识(f值、CII_s值、ICF值)进行分析研究。结果表明:(1)鹤庆白依人使用11种植物染料,分属10科11属。(2)不同地区、年龄、性别的白依人对传统植物染色知识的认知有差异。(3)水红木和密蒙花的使用频率和文化重要性指数较高,并且白依人对蓝染的植物染料认知高度一致。(4)白依人常用植物染料给本民族服饰火草衣染色。该文揭示了鹤庆白依人有较完整的传统植物染色知识体系,但随着时代的发展而逐渐流失。该研究结果为植物染料资源的开发和传统植物染色工艺的研究提供科学线索,促进少数民族植物染料的产业化应用,对少数民族地区的经济发展有重要意义和应用价值。     

Cultural,economic, and ecological factors influencing management of wild plants and mushrooms interchanged in Purépecha markets of Mexico

Background

Traditional markets outstandingly contribute to conservation of biocultural diversity, social relations, and cultural values. These markets reflect life strategies and forms people of a region interact with their biodiversity and territories, as well as traditional ecological knowledge and management practices. To understand the factors motivating plant and mushroom management, we analyzed the resources cultural and economic values, their role in people’s subsistence, and the relation of these values with the resources spatial and temporal availability. Our study based on the supposition that traditional markets are settings of interchange of resources with the highest importance for people’s life in a region. Also, that the cultural, economic, and ecological factors influence values of the resources, and the demand on them determine pressures on the most valuable resources which, when scarce, motivate management innovation, otherwise become extinct.

Methods

We documented cultural, economic, and ecological aspects, as well as management techniques of wild and weedy plants and mushrooms interchanged in three traditional markets of the Pátzcuaro Lake region, in central-western Mexico. For doing that, from February 2015 to March 2018, we conducted 175 visits to markets and 89 semi-structured interviews to producers, gatherers, and sellers of wild and weedy plants and mushrooms. Based on participant observation and interviews, we identified variables related to culture, economic, and ecological aspects, as well as management regimes of resources and management systems, which were documented and used as indicators for quantitative analyses. Through principal components analyses (PCA), we determined the indexes of cultural and economic importance (ICEI), management intensity (IMI), and ecological risk (IR) of the resources studied. For conducting that, we classified plant and mushroom species according to their cultural, economic, ecological, and technological indicators, respectively. The score of the first principal component was considered as the index for each group of variables, respectively. To identify relations between cultural importance and risk, we performed linear regression analyses between ICEI and IR indexes.

Results

We recorded 57 species of wild and weedy plants used as food, medicine, and ornamental, and 17 species of edible mushrooms. The variables with the highest weight in the ICEI are related to the need of a resource according to people, its recognizing, the number of communities and markets offering it in markets, its explicit preference expressed by people, the effort invested in obtaining it, and the form it is interchanged. Gathering is practiced in all mushrooms and wild and weedy plants from forests and agricultural areas; 11 species in addition receive 1 or more forms of management (enhancing, selective let standing, propagation through seeds or vegetative parts, transplantation, and/or protection). The management intensity and complexity are explained by variables related to management practices and systems. Plants receiving selective management have the higher management intensity. Silvicultural management (in situ management in forests) was recorded in all species of mushrooms, as well as in more than 80% of medicinal, ceremonial and ornamental plants, and in more than 50% of the edible plants. In agricultural systems, people manage more than 90% of the edible plants recorded to be under a management regime, 25% of the managed medicinal plants, and 30.7% of the managed ceremonial and ornamental plants. In homegardens, people manage 41.6% of the medicinal plants recorded and 26.6% of the edible plants, to have them available near home. Nearly 63% of the species interchanged in the markets studied are gathered in forests without any other management form. In this group are included all mushroom species, 61.5% of ceremonial/ornamental plants, 50% of medicinal, and 33.3% of edible plants. The linear regression between ICEI an IER is significantly negative for edible species with high management intensity R²?=?0.505 (p?=?0.0316), because of their management. But in medicinal and ornamental plants, the risk is high if the cultural importance increases, even when management practices like transplanting and propagation in homegardens are carried out.

Conclusions

Traditional markets are settings of interchange of products, knowledge, and experiences, where the ongoing factors and processes motivating management innovation can be identified and documented. This approach allows documenting processes occurring at regional level but would be benefited from deeper studies at local level in communities.

     

Ethnobotany of caiçaras of the Atlantic Forest coast (Brazil)

Caiçaras are inhabitants of the Atlantic Forest coast in SE Brazil. We studied the uses of plants by five Caiçara communities and compared medicinal plant citations by informants in coastal and island communities. We use diversity indices to evaluate the use of plants and to compare communities. There is a high diversity of plants used in the Atlantic Forest coasts: we found 276 species used for food, medicine and construction. Caiçaras rely on folk medicine, and medicinal plants were especially cited in interviews. Following predictions of island biogeography theory, we found a lower diversity of medicinal plants cited in islands compared to continental communities.     

Traditional usage of medicinal plants among the local communities of Peshawar valley,Pakistan

Peshawar has a miscellaneous range of population that consequently brought their traditional knowledge of plants to the valley. Aims of the study were to report and document the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants resources of the Peshawar valley. The main objective of the study was to assess and document the ethnobotanical uses of medicinal plants in the study area. Data collection was carried out from March 2017 to December 2017. About 250 informants of different ages were interviewed; most of them were aged people between 60 and 70 years. The interviews were conducted using structured questioner composed of various questions about the ethnomedicinal uses of plants. The data was quantitatively analyzed using quantitative indices like frequency citation FC, use value (UV), use report (UR), relative frequency citation (RFC) Fidelity level (FL) and Jaccard index (JI). A comparison with previous ethnomedicinal studies in order to report some novel uses. A total of 71 plants species belonging to 59 genera and 31 families were being used for various ailment treatments. Out of 31 families, Asteraceae and Amaranthaceae (7 species each) were found the dominant families. Regarding plant habit, herbs 63% were the leading growth form. Leaves were the most frequently used part of the plant in the preparation of medicines. The most frequent mode of preparation was decoction while the oral route of administration was the preferred mode of administration. A review of the active compounds of the reported plants was also documented to authenticate the data. Medicinal plants for high ranked diseases to be to screen for further ethnopharmacological and phytochemical studies. The medicinal flora of the valley is facing improper collection, overgrazing, browsing, deforestation, industrialization, construction of roads and buildings. Therefore proper conservation strategies may be adapted to promote the sustainable use of medicinal plants.     

Dermatological remedies in the traditional pharmacopoeia of Vulture-Alto Bradano, inland southern Italy

This study documents indigenous medicinal plant utilization, management and the threats affecting them. The study was carried out in Mana Angetu district between January 2003 and December 2004. Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi structured interviews, field observations, preference and direct matrix ranking with traditional medicine practitioners. The ethnomedicinal use of 230 plant species was documented in the study area. Most of the plants (78.7%) were reportedly used to treat human diseases. The most frequently used plant part were roots (33.9%), followed by leaves (25.6%). Most of the medicinal species (90.4%) were collected from the wild. Direct matrix analysis showed that Olea europaea L. Subsp. cuspidata (Wall. ex G. Don) was the most important species followed by Acacia tortilis (Forssk.) Hayne (120) indicating high utility value of these species for the local community. The principal threatening factors reported were deforestation (90%), agricultural expansion (85%) and fire (53%). Documenting the eroding plants and associated indigenous knowledge can be used as a basis for developing management plans for conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants in the area.     

桂西壮族文化与植物多样性保护的关系

为深入了解壮族文化多样性与植物资源利用和保护的互动共存状况,采用资料查阅、访谈及实地调查等方法,对桂西壮族不同方面的文化习俗与植物资源利用的关系进行了分析。结果表明:桂西壮族在地域文化、色彩文化、饮食文化和民俗文化等方面均与植物关系密切。用植物命名的自然村有108个,涉及79属88种植物且多数种类具有经济用途;染色植物有17科21属22种,其中茜草科(Rubiaceae)、爵床科(Acanthaceae)和菊科(Asteraceae)种类相对较多;常见的食用野菜有13科31种,以菊科种类最多(12种),唇形科(Lamiaceae)和伞形科(Apiaceae)种类也占一定比例,且食用部位和食用方法多样。民歌中涉及的植物有260多种,多数种类是日常生活中常见的植物,其中包括野菜植物24种、野果植物11种、染料植物7种以及部分药用植物。研究结果显示:壮族文化中的地域文化、色彩文化、饮食文化、民俗文化以及植物崇拜和乡规民俗等对当地的植物资源保护有重要作用,但也受到多种因素的影响,据此提出了相关的植物资源保护和可持续发展对策。     

Cost-benefit analysis for intentional plant introductions under uncertainty

Worldwide, we rely on introduced plants for the essentials of human life; however, intentional plant introductions for commercial benefit have resulted in invaders with negative environmental, economic or social impacts. We argue that plant species of low expected economic value should be less acceptable for introduction than species of high economic value if their other traits are similar; however, key traits such as likelihood of escape and costs of escape are often highly uncertain. Methods do not currently exist which allow decision makers to evaluate costs and benefits of introduction under uncertainty. We developed a cost-benefit analysis for determining plant introduction that incorporates probability of escape, expected economic costs after escape, expected commercial benefits, and the efficiency and cost of containment. We used a model to obtain optimal decisions for the introduction and containment of commercial plants while maximizing net benefit or avoiding losses. We also obtained conditions for robust decisions which take into account severe uncertainty in model parameters using information-gap decision theory. Optimal decisions for introduction and containment of commercial plants depended, not only on the probability of escape and subsequent costs incurred, but also on the anticipated commercial benefit, and the cost and efficiency of containment. When our objective is to maximize net benefit, increasing uncertainty in parameter values increased the likelihood of introduction; in contrast, if our objective is to avoid losses, more uncertainty decreased the likelihood of introduction.     

Economic Importance of the Medicinal Plant Trade in Sierra Leone1

Economic Importance of the Medicinal Plant Trade in Sierra Leone. This study identified, quantified, and evaluated the economic importance of the medicinal plant trade in Sierra Leone so that recommendations for conservation could be made. We carried out a quantitative market survey. We interviewed 120 vendors in three major cities and all vendors in two towns near a national park. Apart from the semistructured interviews, specimen samples were collected and identified, prices noted, and sales units measured. More than 40 species were traded in urban markets, nine species being the most frequently traded in all three cities. Only two plants were traded in the towns: Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A.Rich.and Garcinia kola Heckel. Most plants were traded in the form of dried bark or leaves. It was estimated that at least USD 64,000 are being annually traded in informal markets in major cities, the nine species most frequently traded contributing most of the retail value. Little information was found on import/export figures. Results from this study indicate that the trade of certain medicinal plants could be promoted as an alternative livelihood strategy for edge communities of protected areas. However, more information is needed on harvesting techniques, source and abundance of the species traded.     

Ethnomedicinal flora of Frontier Region Tank,Fata, Pakistan

Main objective of the study was to record the ethnobotanical uses of indigenous plants of the federally administered tribal area (FATA), Bhittani (Local Tribe). Total interviewed local informants of different ages through questionnaire were 212 (196 male and 16 female). Well-known statistical indices, Use Value (UVi) formula and Fidelity Level (FL%) were used for quantification of the recorded data. After identification, the collected specimens were deposited in the Herbarium of Botany Department, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Present findings reveal that 38 plants species belonging to 26 families were being used in the treatment of 31 different diseases. Regarding plant habit, herbs were the leading growth form (63%), followed by trees (24%) and shrubs (13%) respectively. Solanaceae (13.16%) was leading family used in curing various diseases, followed by Asteraceae and Moraceae (7.89% each). Most cited families by the informants were Solanaceae (5 species, 137 citations), Asteraceae (3 species, 81 citations), Moraceae (3 species, 69 citations) and Amaryllidaceae (2 species, 57 citations). Most of taxa were used in curing constipation and stomach problem (9.88% each), followed by pain and cough (7.41% each), digestive and fever (4.96% each). Most frequently used plant part for curing different diseases was leaves (33.33%), followed by fruits (21.67%) and roots (13.33%). Medicinal plants with most use values and high ranks were Withania coagulans (0.88) ranked 1^st and Cichorium intybus 2^nd (0.81) while Cichorium intybus also showed 100% FL value. Plants of study area provide most of the basic requirements for the survival of local communities. There is huge pressure exerted on the natural vegetation due to their overuse by the inhabitants of the area. If proper remedial measures are not taken soon, this process may lead to decline of the valuable plant species from the study area.