Ethnobotanical Study On Wild Plants Of Allium L. In Inner Mongolia

There are 37 species, 4 varieties and 2 forms of wild plants belong to Allium L. in Inner Mongolia, which mainly distributed in the middle and the east part of Inner Mongolia Plateau and its border mountains. The Mongols have accumulated with rich traditional knowledge and experiences on nomenclature and use of wild species of Allium L. In this paper, some research on Allium L. in Inner Mongolia were carried out which includes an ethnobotanical study of Allium L., determination of nutritional components of some species of Allium L., and tissue culture of Allium mongolicum Regel.The results show that there are 38 Mongol folk names are correspondence with 12 wild species of Allium L. It illustrated the diversity characteristic of the Mongolians nomenclature on genus Allium L. Ten species of wild Allium are used for food by the Mongols in Inner Mongolia. Their edible modes and methods are possesses distinctive national features more or less.Eight species of wild Allium are mainly used in folk dietotherapy. The wild species of Allium L. are also recognized as an important forage grass by the Mongols. Six species of wild Allium are used as special feed by the Mongol herdsmen. The wild species of Allium L. are also related to Mongolian folk songs, poets and the folk taboo, which is express the relationship between the plants-diversity and cultural- diversity. Vitamin C is contained in the leaves of Allium condensatum Turcz. Allium macrostemon Bunge, Allium mongolicum Regel, Allium polyrhizum Turcz. ex Regel, Allium ramosum L. Allium senescens L. and Allium tenuissimum L. Sorisu, a dish made by the inflorescence of Allium ramosum L. is rich in nutrition, especially the content of various vitamins. The result of tissue culture of Allium mongolicum Regel shows that the rate of induction is only 52.38%, natural growing tender leaf is not suitable for callus induction.The traditional knowledge on nomenclature and utilization of wild species of Allium L. of the Mongolians in Inner Mongolia have scientific nature, rationality, practicality and national features. The traditional knowledge provided the important information to the rational exploitation, utilization and conservation of wild plant resources of Allium L. in Inner Mongolia.