The Shuhi are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group of around 1,500 people living exclusively in the Shuiluo Valley, southwest China. We documented their plant knowledge concerning wild collected species, and analyzed food, medicine, and ritual uses. Overall, uses, collection sites, and use frequencies of 136 plant species were documented. The plants were divided in fodder (46 spp.), food (43 spp.), medicine (27 spp.), ritual plants (20 spp.), fuelwood (17 spp.), plants used for construction (8 spp.), ornamentals (2 spp.), and “others” (34 spp.). Food plants mainly consist of fruits and leafy vegetables, and the uses are comparable with those of other ethnic groups in the area. Knowledge about medicinal plants is relatively limited, since traditional Shuhi healers use ritual and other healing methods instead of medicinal plants. Ritual plants play an important role relative to human well-being. Villagers and ritualists use them to keep the environment clean of malevolent spirits and to maintain a good relationship with the deities. All habitats, from the dry shrub vegetation at the valley bottom up to the alpine shrub, are used for plant collection, but 87% of all species are collected in the near vicinity of the villages around the fields and in the dry shrub vegetation. Finally, we postulate two main factors influencing wild plant use among the Shuhi: cultural values and accessibility.

A previous study provided a general quantitative analysis of 169 collected medicinal plants used by the Q'eqchi' Maya healers of southern Belize. This paper is focused on a statistical analysis of this ethnobotanical information using the method developed by Moerman (1991). The residual values obtained from the regression analysis of the Q'eqchi' medicinal plant species versus the species listed in the checklist of the vascular plants of Belize (Balick, Nee, and Atha, 2001) placed the Piperaceae, the Rubiaceae, and the Asteraceae in the first three ranks, and the Poaceae, the Cyperaceae, and the Orchidaceae in the last three ranks. The results were compared with three northern temperate regions (Kashmir, Korea, and North America) and three southern neotropical regions (Chiapas, Ecuador, and Veracruz). The coefficients of correlation between the checklist of vascular plants of Belize and the other six floras showed, as expected, high values for regions with similar climatic type. Thus, high correlations were determined between the tropical vegetation of Belize and those of Chiapas, Ecuador, and Veracruz. The coefficients were lower with the three temperate floras but still quite high. The same analysis was done with the medicinal plants only and led to much lower coefficients, but once again, the higher results were obtained for Chiapas and Veracruz. In this case, the last rank for Ecuador demonstrated that the selection of plants in traditional medicine by the indigenous people is a complex phenomenon which depends not only on the composition of the flora but also on culture-specific factors.

ANALYSE PAR REGRESSION DES PLANTES MÉDICINALES DES MAYAS Q'EQCHI' DU SUD DU BELIZE.

Une précédente étude a fourni une analyse quantitative générale de 169 plantes médicinales utilisées par les guérisseurs Maya Q'eqchi' du sud du Belize. Ce document se concentre sur l'analyse statistique des informations ethnobotaniques selon la méthode développée par Moerman (1991). Les valeurs résiduelles obtenues à partir des analyses de régression des plantes médicinales Q'eqchi' vis-à-vis des espèces mentionnées dans la liste des plantes vasculaires du Belize (Balick, Nee, et Atha, 2001) ont placé les Piperacées, les Rubiacées et les Asteracées aux trois premières places, et les Poacées, les Cyperacées et les Orchidacées aux trois dernières places. Les résultats ont été comparés avec ceux de trois régions tempérées du nord (Cachemire, Corée, et Amérique du Nord) et de trois régions néotropicales du sud (Chiapas, Équateur, et Veracruz). Les coefficients de corrélation entre les plantes listées dans le manuel des plantes vasculaires du Belize et les six autres flores ont montré comme attendu de hautes valeurs pour les régions possédant un type climatique similaire. Ainsi, une haute corrélation a été démontrée entre la végétation tropicale du Belize et celles du Chiapas, de l'Équateur, et du Veracruz. Les coefficients étaient plus bas avec les trois régions tempérées mais tout de même passablement élevés. La même analyse a été effectuée avec les plantes médicinales et a mené à des coefficients beaucoup plus bas, mais encore une fois, les résultats les plus élevés ont été obtenus pour le Chiapas et le Veracruz. Dans ce cas, la dernière position de l'Équateur a souligné que la sélection des plantes par les indigènes dans la médecine traditionnelle est un phénomène complexe qui dépend non seulement de la composition de la flore mais aussi de facteurs spécifiques à la culture.

The use of “average” yields to formulate models of premodern agriculture obscures the dynamic components of agricultural decision-making. Using colonial documents and archaeological data from the Deccan region of central India, this paper illustrates the complexities of how ancient peoples mitigated fluctuations in agricultural yields. Nineteenth-century documents show striking differences in yields from year to year, and illustrate the way in which people compensated for those fluctuations by using wild foods and cultivating alternate crops that were less palatable but more reliable. Archaeobotanical, archaeological, and textual data from the Chalcolithic to the Early Historic periods (c. 1500 B.C. to 300 A.D.) indicate similar adaptive strategies, in which the early inhabitants of the region managed resources at the household level to provide subsistence security as well as the steady provision of a tradable surplus.

L'IMPORTANCE DES PLANTES SAUVAGES POUR LES ANCIENS AGRICULTEURS DE L'INDE.

Les analyses d'agriculture prémoderne, fondées sur un modèle de récoltes “moyennes,” cachent les complexités de l'usage de plusieurs stratégies d'agriculture ainsi que de ressources naturels. Ici, l'économie de l'Inde centrale dans les premiers siècles de notre ère est établie par les données de la paléobotanique et d'archéologie, une perspective augmentée par l'étude des documents du dix-neuvième siècle. Ces documents indiquent une grand variation de ré-coltes d'une saison et d'une année à l'autre, et que les agriculteurs balançaient leurs besoins de soutenance physique et sociale avec plusieurs stratégies parmi lesquel l'usage des pro-duits forestières étaient très important. L'inclusion des ces paramètres pour la période pre-moderne nous permet de reconstruire non seulement les activités agriculturels, mais aussi l'impact de ces activités sur les activités économiques et sociales outre du foyer domestique.

This paper reports a study of paddy vegetation in central Laos. Plants were inventoried and vegetation types classified. Relationships between vegetation and agricultural practices were identified. A total of 184 wild herbaceous species and 17 cultivated species were recorded in two villages. Of the wild species, 19 were used by local people, four were rare species, and three were major weeds. Paddy vegetation was arranged in order of water regime from shorter to longer hydroperiod by DCA. The factors contributing to high species diversity were: (1) the presence of species unique to different paddy types; (2) the presence of remnant species from original vegetation; and (3) the impact of agricultural practices. Thus, at this study site, multiple plant species coexisted in paddy fields under various agricultural practices, and some species were essential sources of food or were used in other ways to support the subsistence livelihoods of local residents.

Researchers have developed several indices to estimate the significance of plant species for humans. We build on previous methods in ethnobotany and anthropology to develop a new way to value plant species along three dimensions: cultural, practical, and economic. We used interview and observational data on the use of wild plants by the Tsimane', a foraging-horticultural society in the Bolivian Amazon. We calculated the cultural, practical, economic, and total values of 114 plant species from 46 families. We found a low correlation between the practical and the cultural values of species: some species rarely used were frequently mentioned in interviews, whereas some species frequently used were rarely mentioned in interviews. Indices of cultural, practical, and economic value measure different dimensions of the importance of plant species to society. The combination of the three indices offers a more comprehensive valuation of the significance of plants for humans than the use of only one index.

Botánicas, or herbal shops that cater to ethnic populations, are common in culturally diverse southern Florida. One of the most frequently found plants in these botánicas is Pluchea carolinensis. This small shrub in the Asteraceae is a common species in disturbed sites in the region, especially in back mangrove habitats. The binomial P. symphytifolia has been misapplied to P. carolinensis and is considered a synonym for Neurolaena lobata. Both species have similar uses and common names. Pluchea carolinensis is called salvia in Latino botánicas and la choige in Haitian botánicas in Miami. Interviewees at 17 herbal shops provided information on the uses of the plant. The most frequently mentioned ailments treated with P. carolinensis were sore throats and catarrh. The plant also is employed to alleviate headaches, stomach ailments, flatulence, high blood pressure, rash, toothaches, and it is considered to be an antiseptic, anticoagulant, and antiinflammatory. Teas and compresses were the most common mode of preparation. The medicinal uses of P. carolinensis in southern Florida are similar to those reported elsewhere in the Caribbean and similar to the uses of other Pluchea species. The plant also plays a role in limpiezas or spiritual cleansings and is associated with the Santería deity Babalú Ayé.

EL ETHNOBOTÁNICA DE PLUCHEA CAROLINENSIS (JACQ). G. DON (ASTERACEAE) EN LAS BOTÁNICAS DE MIAMI, FLORIDA.

Las botánicas, tiendas herbarias que proveen plantas medicinales y ritualistas, son comunes en la población culturalmente diversa de Florida del sur. Una de las plantas el más con frecuencia encontradas en estos botánicas es Pluchea carolinensis. Este pequeño arbusto en el Asteraceae es una especie común con sitios desequilibrados en la región, especialamente cerca de manglares. El binomio P. symphytifolia ha sido aplicado mal a P. carolinensis y es considerado un sinónimo para Neurolaena lobata. Ambas especies tienen usos y nombres vulgares similares. Pluchea carolinensis se llaman salvia en las botánicas Latina y la choige en las botánicas haitianas en Miami. Los entrevistados en diecisiete tiendas herbarias nos dieron información sobre los usos de la planta. Las dolencias el más con frecuencia mencionadas trataron con P. carolinensis eran dolores de garganta y catarro. La planta también es empleada para aliviar dolores de cabeza, dolor de estómago, flatulencia, sangre alta, sarpullido, dolores de muelas, y, como se considera es un antiséptico, anticoagulante, y antiinflamatorio. Los tés y las compresas eran el modo más común de la preparación. Los usos medicinales de P. carolinensis en Florida del sur son similares a aquellos relatados en otra parte en el caribeño y similar a los usos de otras especies de Pluchea. La planta también desempeña un papel en limpiezas espirituales y se asocia con la deidad Santería Babalú Ayé.