Ethnobotany and diversity of medicinal plants used by the Buyi in eastern Yunnan, China

doi:10.1016/j.pld.2020.09.004

Abstract

Abstract: The Buyi are a socio-linguistic group in Yunnan Province of southwest China that have a long history of using medicinal plants as part of their indigenous medical system. Given the limited written documentation of the Buyi indigenous medical system, the objective of this paper is to document the medicinal plants of the Buyi and associated traditional knowledge and transmission. Field research was conducted in four villages in Lubuge Township of Luoping County in Yunnan Province using ethnobotanical methodologies including participatory observation, semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions to elicit information on medicinal plants. In total, 120 informants (including 15 key informants who are healers) were interviewed. This study found that a total of 121 medicinal plant species belonging to 64 families are used by the Buyi including by local healers to treat different diseases. Among the medicinal plants recorded in this study, 56 species (46%) have not previously been documented in the scientific literature as having medicinal value, highlighting the pressing need for ethnobotanical documentation in indigenous communities. The most frequently used medicinal part was the leaf (24.9% of documented plants), and the most common preparation method was decoction (62.8% of medicinal). Medicinal plants were mainly used to treat rheumatism (12.4% of plants), trauma and injuries (9.6%). The documented plants are also used for other non-medicinal purposes including food, fodder, fencing, and ornamental. In addition, 35 of the medicinal plants are considered poisonous and are used by local Buyi healers for medicine. The traditional Buyi beliefs and practices associated with the documented medicinal plants likely contributes to their conservation in the environments and around Buyi communities. This study further highlights that ethnomedicinal knowledge of the Buyi is at risk of disappearing due to increased introduction and use of modern medicine in Buyi communities, livelihood changes, rapid modernization, and urbanization. Research, policy, and community programs are urgently needed to conserve the biocultural diversity associated with the Buyi medical system including ethnobotanical knowledge towards supporting both environmental and human wellbeing.

Key words: Ethnobotany, Indigenous medical systems, Ethnobotanical knowledge, Buyi, Medicinal plants

Yong Xiong, Xueyi Sui, Selena Ahmed, Zhi Wang, Chunlin Long. Ethnobotany and diversity of medicinal plants used by the Buyi in eastern Yunnan, China[J]. Plant Diversity, 2020, 42(06): 401-414.

Figures/Tables 7

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雪被 Snow cover	回归方程 Regression model	分解系数 k Decomposition constant k	相关系数 r Correlation coefficient r	半分解时间 Time of half decomposition (a)	95%分解时间 Time of 95% decomposition (a)
厚雪被 Thick snow cover	y = 98.009e^-0.310^x	0.310	0.97	2.336	9.664
中雪被 Medium snow cover	y = 98.592e^-0.296^x	0.296	0.98	2.342	10.121
薄雪被 Thin snow cover	y = 98.556e^-0.277^x	0.277	0.98	2.502	10.815
无雪被 No snow cover	y = 99.251e^-0.273^x	0.273	0.98	2.539	10.973

雪被 Snow cover	回归方程 Regression model	分解系数 k Decomposition constant k	相关系数 r Correlation coefficient r	半分解时间 Time of half decomposition (a)	95%分解时间 Time of 95% decomposition (a)
厚雪被 Thick snow cover	y = 98.009e^-0.310^x	0.310	0.97	2.336	9.664
中雪被 Medium snow cover	y = 98.592e^-0.296^x	0.296	0.98	2.342	10.121
薄雪被 Thin snow cover	y = 98.556e^-0.277^x	0.277	0.98	2.502	10.815
无雪被 No snow cover	y = 99.251e^-0.273^x	0.273	0.98	2.539	10.973

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