Investigation And Research Of Medicinal Plant Resources Of Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County, Guangxi

1. Based on extensive field work and botanical survey, comprehensive literature reviews and herbarium work, e.g. looking up medicinal plant books, catalogues and Chi, and so on, the loocal medicinal plants in Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County were studied. The main results are as follows:The medicinal plant species in Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County (MPSLMAC) comprises1382(including infraspecific taxa) species belonging to748genera of210families, including128medicinal pteridophyte species in64genera of41families,15medicinal gymnosperm species in11genera of7families and1239medicinal angiosperm species in673genera of162families. The MPSLMAC are highly diversified and species-rich.2. Amongst the MPSLMAC, the most species-rich families are Asteraceae, Rubiaceae, Fabaceae, Rosaceae, Orchidaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Lamiaceae, Gramineae, Moraceae, Verbenaceae, Polypodiaceae, Myrsinaceae, Liliaceae, Urticaceae, comprising542species which account for37.77percent of the total MPSLMAC. The most species-rich genera are Ficus, Ardisia, Rubus, Polygonum, adding up to56species and accounting for4.05%of the total MPSLMAC. At the generic level, most genera usually contains only one or few medicinal plant species and the medicinal plant species from these genera reach1098species totally and account for79.45%of the total MPSLMAC.3. The characteristics of the MPSLMAC are researched from four aspects, i.e. resource type, plant traits, medicinal part, and medical function. The main results are as follows:The wild medicinal plant species have1246species and account for90.16%of the total MPSLMAC, which are the important part of the MPSLMAC; Herbaceous is predominant, adding up to680species accounting for49.20%; The use of whole plant body is the most prevalent, occupying636of a total of1816times of utilizations (35.02%); Antipyretic and antidote are predominant in medicinal type of the MPSLMAC, adding up to661species and accounting for47.83%.4. Traditional medicinal plants of Mulam Nationality in Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County (TMPMNLMAC) are abundant. There are464(including infraspecific taxa) medicinal plants belonging to353genera of464families, including23medicinal pteridophyte species in17genera of15families,7medicinal gymnosperm species in7genera of6families and434medicinal angiosperm species in329genera of112families. 5. The most species-rich families of the TMPMNLMAC are not obvious, and only Asteraceae (28species) and Fabaceae (23species) have a high species data. Single-species families and depauperate families are predominant in TMPMNLMAC, adding up to175genera (accounting for49.58%of the total genera of the TMPMNLMAC) and213species (accounting for45.91%of the total TMPMNLMAC). At the generic level, monotypic genus and depauperate genus which comprise337species and account for72.63%of the total TMPMNLMAC, hold a predominant proportion of the TMPMNLMAC. These show that the use of medicinal plants by Mulam nationality is not limited to certain plant groups, but the selection of medicinal plants shows universality and diversity to some extent.6. The most of medicinal plants are used by Mulam nationality doctors to treat skin diseases (118species, accounting for25.43%of the total TMPMNLMAC), rheumatism (86species,18.53%), cough and cold (74species,15.95%), diarrhea (73species,15.73%), and bruises (68species,14.66%) which have high occurrence rates at the local place.7. The plants with function of antipyretic and antidote are predominant in Mulam nationality traditional medicine markets, holding about40species, followed with those (ca.30species) used for treating traumatic injury. Different types of medicinal plants with different medical efficacies are sold in different seasons. Medicinal market during Dragon-boat Festival is the most popular rally for trade of medicinal plants in Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County, with more than100species displayed and ca.48species of them used for medicated bath.8. The number of state key medicinal plants species (SMPS) in Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County add up to103species by surveys of setting plots, transect stripes/transect lines, with49species found in plots and54species in transect stripes/transect lines. The species, in plotsof herbal is richest, adding up to28species, with the highest occurrence frequency being Imperata cylindrical (0.1824) followed by Senecio scandens (0.1108). The species’quantity of SMPS found in shrub plots is also large, including Trachelospermum jasminoides (0.1892), Rosa laevigata (0.1514), Smilax china (0.1297), and so on, adding up to16species. The SMPS found in tree plots is very little, only5species, and the frequency of appearance is very low.9. Rare and endangered medicated plant species in Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County adding up to59(including wild and cultivation taxa) species, including12listed as the national protected plants (1species in the first rank, and11species in the second rank.), and47species are listed as provincial key protected plants, of which40species are orchids. Since rare and endangered medicinal plant in Luocheng Mulam Autonomous County are seriously damaged, it is essential to increase protection measures in time.10. Based on the field survey and related survey data, the status, problems and threatened of resource utilization have been analyzed and suggestions for effective protection and sustainable utilization of these valuable medicinal plants resources are propoerd in the present. Meanwhile, according to the actual situation and the relevant data of the interview survey, the status, difficulties and problems of Mulam nationality medicine have been analyzed and strategies and proposals for sustainable development of Mulam nationality medicine are proposed in the study.