Ethnobotanical Study on Wild Edible Plants Used by Three Trans-Boundary Ethnic Groups in Jiangcheng County, Pu’er, Southwest China

Abstract Background: Dai, Hani and Yao people in the trans-boundary region between China, Laos and Vietnam, have gathered plentiful traditional knowledge about wild edible plants during the long history of understanding and using natural resources. The ecologically rich environment and the multi-ethnic integration provide a valuable foundation and driving force for high biodiversity and cultural diversity in this region. However, little study has uncovered the mystical veil of this unique and attractive culture. Methods: Ethnobotanical fieldwork, market and village survey have been conducted in 20 villages of Jiangcheng County during the period from 2016 to 2019. Altogether 109 local Dai, Hani and Yao people were interviewed, and their traditional knowledge of wild edible plants was recorded. Voucher specimens were identified by the authors and deposited in the herbarium of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (HITBC). The statistical analysis was performed using R Studio software. Results: 211 wild edible plants, belonging to 73 families and 152 genera, were recorded. These plants were consumed as wild edible vegetables, seasonal fruits, salads, spices, sour condiments, tonic soups, tea substitutes, liquor brewing or dyeing materials. The use value (UV), current cultivation, market availability, as well as the quantitative traditional knowledge inheritance situation of these wild edible plants among different generations were analyzed. Based on the data from threatened species list of China’s higher plants and the IUCN red list, the food plant list for Asia Elephant, the subject database of China plant and the calculated UV score, the top 30 most important wild edible plants were selected for further cultivation in the local village Conclusion: Traditional knowledge of wild edible plants, owned by Dai, Hani and Yao people in Jiangcheng County, is rich but at risk of losing among the young generation. Diversified cultivation of wild edible plants by the local communities could be a solution for sustainable use of natural resources, and conserve the endangered species in this trans-boundary region.