Background
Methods
Study site
Data collection
Significant index
Results
Edible plants consumed
Voucher Code | Scientific name | Chinese Name | Habitat | Part Used | Diet type | SI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NE125 |
Aconitum stapfianum Hand.-Mazz.*** | 玉龙乌头 | W | Root | Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE132 |
Allium beesianum W. W. Sm. | 蓝花韭 | W | Leaf | Vegetable, Seasoning | 0.5 |
NE008 |
Allium cepa var. proliferum Regel | 红葱 | G | Whole plant | Vegetable, Seasoning | 0.5 |
NE133 |
Allium chrysanthum Regel | 野葱 | W | Whole plant | Vegetable, Seasoning | 0.5 |
NE007 |
Allium fistulosum L. | 葱 | G | Whole plant | Vegetable, Seasoning | 0.5 |
NE027 |
Allium hookeri Thwaites | 宽叶韭 | W | Leaf | Vegetable, Seasoning | 0.5 |
NE010 |
Allium sativum L. | 蒜 | G | Bulb | Seasoning, Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE023 |
Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng | 韭 | G | Leaf, Root | Vegetable, Seasoning | 0.5 |
NE139 |
Amygdalus persica L. | 桃 | V | Fruit | Fruit | 0.5 |
NE102 |
Aralia chinensis L. | 楤木 | W | Tender stem and leaf | Vegetable | 2 |
NE061 |
Arceuthobium pini Hawksworth et Wiens | 高山松寄生 | W | Leaf | Drink, Healthcare food | 0.1 |
NE005 |
Arctium lappa L. | 牛蒡 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE018 |
Aruncus sylvester Kostel. | 假升麻 | W | Tender stem and leaf | Vegetable | 2 |
NE078 |
Athyrium kuratae Serizawa | 仓田蹄盖蕨 | W | Tender stem and leaf, Root | Vegetable, Substitute grain, Wine-plant | 5 |
NE062 |
Auricularia auricula (L. ex Hook.) Underw | 黑木耳 | W | Whole plant | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE068 |
Avena sativa L. | 燕麦 | F | Seed | Grain | 5 |
NE076 |
Berberis liophylla Schneid. | 滑叶小檗 | W | Flower | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE082 |
Berberis pruinosa Franch. | 粉叶小檗 | W | Flower | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE087 |
Berberis wilsonae Hemsl. | 金花小檗 | W | Flower | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE142 |
Berchemia sinica C. K. Schneider | 勾儿茶 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 0.5 |
NE054 |
Brassica chinensis L. | 青菜 | G | Aerial part | Vegetable | 3 |
NE071 |
Brassica chinensis L. cv ‘Dakucai’ | 大苦菜 | G | Aerial part | Vegetable | 3 |
NE057 |
Brassica juncea (L.) Czern. | 油芥菜 | F | Seed | Oil | 2 |
NE024 |
Brassica oleracea var. capitata L. | 甘蓝 | G | Leaf | Vegetable | 1 |
NE032 |
Brassica rapa L. | 芜青 | F, BF | Fleshy root, Leaf, Tender leaf | Grain, Fruit, Vegetable | 5 |
NE123 |
Campylotropis hirtella (Franch.) Schindl. | 毛杭子梢 | W | Leaf | Drink | 0.1 |
NE070 |
Cannabis sativa L. | 大麻 | BF | Seed | Oil, Snack | 0.5 |
NE108 |
Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medic. | 荠 | W | Aerial part | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 3 |
NE046 |
Caragana franchetiana Kom. | 云南锦鸡儿 | W | Flower | Vegetable | 0.5 |
NE100 |
Chaenomeles speciosa (Sweet) Nakai | 皱皮木瓜 | V | Fruit | Fruit, Seasoning | 1 |
NE020 |
Chenopodium album L. | 藜 | W | Aerial part | Vegetable | 3 |
NE021 |
Cicer arietinum L. | 鹰嘴豆 | F | Seed | Grain, Snack | 1 |
NE112 |
Cirsium chlorolepis Petrak ex Hand.-Mazz. | 两面刺 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE113 |
Cirsium eriophoroides (Hook. f.) Petrak | 贡山蓟 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE092 |
Cirsium griseum Levl. | 灰蓟 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE093 |
Cirsium lidjiangense Petrak ex Hand.-Mazz. | 丽江蓟 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE037 |
Codonopsis convolvulacea Kurz. var. pinifolia (Hand. -Mazz.) Nannf. | 松叶鸡蛋参 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE052 |
Coriandrum sativum L. | 芫荽 | G | Whole plant | Vegetable, Seasoning | 0.5 |
NE084 |
Cotoneaster franchetii Bois | 西南栒子 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 0.5 |
NE090 |
Cotoneaster microphyllus Lindl. | 小叶栒子 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 0.5 |
NE064 |
Crataegus chungtienensis W. W. Smith | 中甸山楂 | V | Fruit | Fruit, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE063 |
Crataegus scabrifolia (Franch.) Rehd. | 云南山楂 | V | Fruit | Fruit, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE004 |
Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight | 牛皮消 | W | Milky-juice | Coagulating agent | 0.1 |
NE034 |
Dioscorea delavayi Franch. | 高山薯蓣 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE035 |
Dioscorea hemsleyi Prain et Burkill | 粘山药 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE045 |
Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb. | 牛奶子 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 0.5 |
NE127 |
Eriophyton wallichii Benth. | 绵参 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.1 |
NE025 |
Fagopyrum esculentum Moench | 荞麦 | F, BF | Seed, Tender stem | Grain, Vegetable | 4 |
NE026 |
Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn. | 苦荞麦 | F, BF | Seed, Tender stem | Grain, Vegetable | 5 |
NE051 |
Fargesia communis Yi | 马亨箭竹 | W | Bamboo shoot | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE048 |
Fargesia melanostachys (Hand.-Mazz.) Yi | 黑穗箭竹 | W | Bamboo shoot | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE050 |
Fargesia yulongshanensis Yi | 玉龙山箭竹 | W | Bamboo shoot | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE053 |
Fargesia yunnanensis Hsueh | 昆明实心竹 | W | Bamboo shoot | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE001 |
Foeniculum vulgare Mill. | 茴香 | G | Aerial part, Seed | Vegetable, Seasoning | 1 |
NE095 |
Fragaria gracilis Lozinsk. | 纤细草莓 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 1 |
NE096 |
Fragaria moupinensis (Franch.) Card. | 西南草莓 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 1 |
NE094 |
Fragaria vesca L. | 野草莓 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 1 |
NE011 |
Galeopsis bifida Boenn. | 鼬瓣花 | W | Seed | Oil | 1 |
NE129 |
Galium elegans Wall. ex Roxb. | 小红参 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE120 |
Gentiana cephalantha Franch. ex Hemsl. | 头花龙胆 | W | Aerial part | Fermenting agent | 0.1 |
NE116 |
Gentiana rigescens Franch. ex Hemsl. | 滇龙胆草 | W | Aerial part | Fermenting agent | 0.1 |
NE118 |
Gentiana szechenyii Kanitz | 大花龙胆 | W | Aerial part | Fermenting agent | 0.1 |
NE101 |
Helwingia japonica (Thunb.) Dietr. | 青荚叶 | W | Tender leaf | Vegetable | 3 |
NE019 |
Hemerocallis citrina Baroni | 黄花菜 | G | Flower | Vegetable | 0.5 |
NE022 |
Hippolytia delavayi (Franch. ex、W. W. Smith) Shih | 川滇女蒿 | W | Aerial part | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE009 |
Hordeum vulgare L. | 大麦 | F, BF | Seed | Grain | 3 |
NE012 |
Juglans sigillata Dode | 泡核桃 | V | Kernel | Nut | 0.5 |
NE006 |
Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. | 川芎 | G | Aerial part, Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 2 |
NE141 |
Lilium duchartrei Franch | 宝兴百合 | G | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE143 |
Lilium lancifolium Thunb. | 卷丹 | G | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE028 |
Lobaria fuscotomentosa Yoshim. | 黑毛肺衣 | W | Whole plant | Substitute grain | 5 |
NE014 |
Lobaria orientalis (Asahina) Yoshim. | 东方网肺衣 | W | Whole plant | Substitute grain | 5 |
NE002 |
Lobaria yunnanensis Yoshim. | 云南网肺衣 | W | Whole plant | Substitute grain | 5 |
NE017 |
Maianthemum atropurpureum (Franch.) LaFrankie | 高大鹿药 | W | Tender stem and leaf | Vegetable | 3 |
NE016 |
Maianthemum forrestii (W. W. Sm.) LaFrankie | 抱茎鹿药 | W | Tender stem and leaf | Vegetable | 3 |
NE015 |
Maianthemum henryi (Baker) LaFrankie | 管花鹿药 | W | Tender stem and leaf | Vegetable | 3 |
NE036 |
Malus pumila Mill. | 苹果 | G | Fruit | Fruit | 1 |
NE091 |
Malus rockii Rehd. | 丽江山荆子 | W | Fruit | Fruit, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE067 |
Malva verticillata L. | 野葵 | W | Tender stem and leaf | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE080 |
Origanum vulgare L. | 牛至 | W | Aerial part | Spice | 0.1 |
NE060 |
Phaseolus lunatus L. | 棉豆 | F | Seed | Vegetable, Grain | 2 |
NE069 |
Phaseolus vulgaris L. | 菜豆 | G | Legume | Vegetable | 1 |
NE114 |
Pinus armandii Franch. | 华山松 | W | Kernel, Tender leaf, Pollen | Nut, Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.1 |
NE115 |
Pinus yunnanensis Franch. | 云南松 | W | Kernel, Tender leaf, Pollen | Nut, Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE105 |
Pisum sativum L. | 豌豆 | F | Seed, Tender stem and leaf | Grain, Vegetable, Snack | 2 |
NE097 |
Plantago depressa Willd. | 平车前 | W | Aerial part | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE099 |
Polygonatum cirrhifolium (Wall.) Royle | 卷叶黄精 | W | Rhizome | Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE103 |
Prinsepia utilis Royle | 扁核木 | W | Kernel, Tender stem | Oil, Vegetable | 3 |
NE077 |
Pteridium revolutum (Bl.) Nakai | 毛轴蕨 | W | Tender stem and leaf, Root | Vegetable, Substitute grain, Wine-plant | 5 |
NE145 |
Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn var. latiusculum (Desv.) Underw. ex Heller | 蕨 | W | Tender stem and leaf, Root | Vegetable, Substitute grain, Wine-plant | 5 |
NE135 |
Pyracantha angustifolia (Franch.) Schneid. | 窄叶火棘 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 2 |
NE134 |
Pyracantha fortuneana (Maxim.) Li | 火棘 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 2 |
NE031 |
Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm. f.) Nakai | 沙梨 | G | Fruit | Fruit | 1 |
NE074 |
Quercus aquifolioides Rehd. et Wils. | 川滇高山栎 | W | Kernel | Grain, Wine-plant | 4 |
NE072 |
Quercus guyavaefolia H. Leveille | 帽斗栎 | W | Kernel | Grain, Wine-plant | 4 |
NE075 |
Quercus monimotricha Hand.-Mazz. | 矮高山栎 | W | Kernel | Grain, Wine-plant | 4 |
NE030 |
Raphanus sativus L. var. raphanistroides (Makino) Makino | 蓝花子 | BF | Seed | Oil | 3 |
NE086 |
Rhododendron hippophaeoides Balf.f. & W. W. Sm | 灰背杜鹃 | W | Flower | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE085 |
Rhododendron yunnanense Franch. | 云南杜鹃 | W | Flower | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.1 |
NE126 |
Ribes glaciale Wall | 冰川茶藨子 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 0.5 |
NE130 |
Rosa omeiensis Rolfe | 峨眉蔷薇 | W | Tender stem | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE088 |
Rosa omeiensis Rolfe f. pteracantha Rehd. et Wils. | 扁刺峨眉蔷薇 | W | Tender stem | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE029 |
Rosa rugosa Thunb. | 玫瑰 | V | Tender stem, Petal | Vegetable, Spice | 0.1 |
NE089 |
Rosa sericea Lindl. | 绢毛蔷薇 | W | Tender stem | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE140 |
Rosa soulieana Crep. | 川滇蔷薇 | W | Tender stem | Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE040 |
Roscoea cautleoides Gagnep. | 滇象牙参 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE041 |
Roscoea cautleoides Gagnep. | 早花象牙参 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE039 |
Roscoea tibetica Bat. | 藏象牙参 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.5 |
NE137 |
Rubus aurantiacus Focke | 桔红悬钩子 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 0.5 |
NE106 |
Rubus biflorus Buch.-Ham. ex Smith | 粉枝莓 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 1 |
NE117 |
Rubus niveus Thunb. | 红泡刺藤 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 1 |
NE119 |
Rubus subornatus Focke | 美饰悬钩子 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 1 |
NE122 |
Rubus trijugus Focke | 三对叶悬钩子 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 1 |
NE104 |
Sagittaria trifolia L. | 慈菇 | W | Root | Vegetable | 1 |
NE079 |
Salix balfouriana Schneid. | 白背柳 | W | Inflorescence | Substitute grain | 5 |
NE083 |
Salix delavayana Hand.-Mazz. | 腹毛柳 | W | Inflorescence | Substitute grain | 5 |
NE081 |
Salix spodiophylla Hand.-Mazz. | 灰叶柳 | W | Inflorescence | Substitute grain | 5 |
NE058 |
Sambucus adnata Wall. ex DC. | 血满草 | W | Tender stem, Fruit | Vegetable, Fruit | 1 |
NE042 |
Sanguisorba filiformis (Hook. f.) Hand.-Mazz. | 矮地榆 | W | Root | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE124 |
Saussurea leucoma Diels | 羽裂雪兔子 | W | Whole plant | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 0.1 |
NE098 |
Schisandra rubriflora (Franch). Rehd. et Wils. | 红花五味子 | W | Fruit | Fruit, Healthcare food | 0.1 |
NE013 |
Scurrula parasitica L. | 红花寄生 | W | Fruit | Snack | 0.1 |
NE049 |
Solanum tuberosum L. | 洋芋 | F, BF | Tuber | Grain, Vegetable | 5 |
NE128 |
Stebbinsia umbrella (Franch.) Lipsch. | 肉菊 | W | Root | Healthcare food | 0.1 |
NE047 |
Sticta nylanderiana Zahlbr. | 平滑牛皮叶 | W | Aerial part | Substitute grain | 5 |
NE110 |
Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz. | 蒲公英 | W | Aerial part | Vegetable, Healthcare food | 1 |
NE066 |
Thamnolia subuliformis (Ehrh.) W. L. Culb. | 雪地茶 | W | Whole plant | Drink | 0.1 |
NE065 |
Thamnolia vermicularis (Sw.) Ach. ex Schaerer | 地茶 | W | Whole plant | Drink | 0.1 |
NE109 |
Thlaspi arvense L. | 菥蓂 | W | Aerial part, Seed | Vegetable, Oil | 3 |
NE056 |
Triticum aestivum L. | 普通小麦 | F | Seed | Grain | 2 |
NE059 |
Usnea longissima Ach. | 长松萝 | W | Whole plant | Healthcare food | 0.1 |
NE136 |
Vaccinium fragile Franch. | 乌鸦果 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 0.1 |
NE121 |
Viburnum betulifolium Batal. | 桦叶荚蒾 | W | Fruit | Fruit | 0.5 |
NE138 |
Viburnum cylindricum Buch. -Ham. ex D. Don | 水红木 | W | Kernel | Oil | 1 |
NE003 |
Vicia faba L. | 蚕豆 | F | Seed | Grain | 3 |
NE073 |
Vicia sativa L. | 救荒野豌豆 | BF | Tender stem | Vegetable | 2 |
NE111 |
Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim. | 花椒 | V | Fruit, Tender stem and leaf | Seasoning, Healthcare food, Vegetable | 0.1 |
NE144 |
Zea mays L. | 玉米 | F | Seed | Grain | 5 |
NE146 |
Cucurbita moschata (Duch. ex Lam.) Duch. ex Poiret | 南瓜 | G | Fruit | Vegetable | 3 |
Landrace crops as staple foods
“Turnips and potatoes are our main food. We eat them at nearly every meal. Potato is both our grain and vegetable. Turnip is our grain, vegetable, fruit, and pickle. The [turnip] sprouts are our green vegetable in the winter. We cannot live without these two food items. We store a lot of them to avoid crop reduction in bad weather.” (A farmer from Wenhai village, female, 73 years old).
“We never eat all of our harvests, and must set aside a portion for storage, as this is our habit. We have our special equipment: a grain drying rack. Every household has a tall grain drying rack used for drying grains [oat and barley], vegetables [turnips] and so on. Especially during the production-reducing time of drought, a large amount of the roots and leaves of turnips were hung on the grain drying rack to dry. We hoarded many tons of potatoes and pickled some of our vegetables. Our storage can reduce the risk of food shortage during a year of drought.” (A farmer from Wenhai village, female, 70 years old)
Buffer of supplementary edible plants
Life-saving famine plants in extreme drought conditions
Main Famine Plants | Collection Time |
---|---|
Salix balfouriana; Salix spodiophylla; Salix delavayana
| Early spring |
Pteridium revolutum; Athyrium kuratae
| Early spring |
Lobaria yunnensis; Lobaria orientalis; Lobaria fuscotomentosa; Stica nylanderiana
| Year-round (especially winter) |
“We have great feelings for ferns. During the Ching Ming festival, we use bracken to enshrine our ancestors’ cemeteries. We tell our ancestors that the bracken has grown up, so they no longer have to suffer from hunger. When we are collecting ferns, we usually sing to express our gratitude to the bracken. The song we sing is: ‘Large tracts of bracken have grown out. I come to pick you. You comfort my hungry heart, and I really thank you.’” (A farmer from Wenhai village, male, 70 years old)
How to produce sufficient food to meet food requirements
Widespread production systems
Types | Feature | Main Function | Management | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Farm System | Farm Land | Limited, average per capita farmland in the three villages is 1.8–3Mu. Not so fertile. Usually on forest edges of mountain foot or in the basin. | Crops growing. Potatoes and turnips are widely planted. | Intensive cultivation |
Home Garden | A greenhouse-like facility close to house. Highly valued. Plant can even grow in winter. | Vegetables cultivating, especially green leafy. Place of introduction and domestication. | Simple facilities agriculture. | |
Cyclic Fallowed Barren Farmland | Usually on the slope of mountain. It is barren and not very suitable for cultivation. It is lay fallow after two or three years of farming, after fallow it is farmed aging and this process is circled. | Crops of strong adaptability are planted, mainly Turnips and Tartary Buckwheat. Supplement of farmland. | No management after sowing | |
Nonfarm systems | Wild Land | Places other than agro-ecosystem and village, including woodlands, grasslands, wetlands and farmland edge. | Numerous wild fruit, vegetable, and famine plants are growing. | No artificial management |
Inner Village | Spare places in village. Frequently human interference. | Many synanthropic plants are growing, especially fruit trees. Place of unconscious introduction. | Frequent disturbance |
Diversity of wild edible plants
Strong resilience of landrace crops
“The potato and turnip yields can be reduced by drought, but the harvest rarely totally fails. Potato and turnip can get through drought and survive when the rain comes. During a drought period, many pests will accrue; they will eat up the sprouts of seed crops, but potato and turnip roots can escape and they can grow again once the rain has fallen.”“Tartary buckwheat sprouts in less than 3 days, and matures in less than 3 months. We grow buckwheat once the rain comes. Buckwheat grows fast, and we can harvest it before the winter comes.” (A farmer from Shihong village, female, 67 years old)