Ethnobotany of wild edible plants in Huu Lien Nature Reserve, Vietnam

Bc. Eva Križanová

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The Huu Lien Nature Reserve is located in a high biodiversity karst zone in Northeast Vietnam. It is one of the poorest regions with a strong dependence on forest resources that are particularly valuable for ethnic minorities. This ethnobotanical study aims to document the diversity and use of plant resources with a focus on wild food plants, to assess the distribution of the local traditional knowledge and to preserve it. Randomly chosen participants were interviewed using free-listing and semi-structured interviews in July 2017. Local name, edible part, mode of plant preparation, plant life form, season and additional use were recorded. Quantitative indices as Relative Frequency of Citation, Smith’s Salience Index and Cultural Value were calculated to analyse the cultural importance of recorded species. A total of 58 ethnospecies belonging into 42 genera and 35 families were described as edible. Edible parts were mostly fruits (72%) and thus mostly consumed unprocessed. The culturally most important species were Melientha suavis (Opiliaceae), Xerospermum noronhianum (Sapindaceae) and Camellia sp. (Theaceae). Wild plants were reported to be consumed as snacks, vegetables, beverages or utilized as flavourings or preserves. Additionally, the nutrient composition of the priority species was reviewed, and several local species were identified as good sources of the most important micronutrients connected to malnutrition in Vietnam.Documentation of these useful species will preserve the local traditional knowledge, provide basic information for conservation and possibly for further exploitation to help the local communities.

Keywords

traditional knowledge, biodiversity, wild edible plants, Vietnam, nutrition

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 26. 4. 2019

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: doc. Ing. Zbyněk Polesný, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences

Master programme / field:
Tropical Agriculture / Tropical Crop Management and Ecology