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Table 1 Natural plants used for dying by Dong communities of Tongdao County in South Central China

From: Ethnobotany of dye plants in Dong communities of China

Herbarium Voucher #

Scientific name

Family name

Local Han-Chinese name

Dong name

Parts used

Dye uses

Color produced

Ecological data

Medicinal value

Other value

Yujing Liu, D6 (MUC)

Ardisia crenata Roxb.

Myrsinaceae

Zhu sha gen朱砂根

Sang mei zhu

Root

Food and cloth

Red

Shrub under forest, wild

Curing throat swelling and pain, anti-fertility, antivirus, antineoplastic, insect disinfestations

Medicinal, ornamental

Yujing Liu, D13 (MUC)

Adinandra milletii Benth. et Hook. f. ex Hance

Theaceae

Yang tong杨桐

Mei tong wu

Leaves

Food

Black

Tree in forests, wild

None

Sacrifice

Yujing Liu, D4 (MUC)

Buddleja lindleyana Fortune

Loganiaceae

Zui yu cao 醉鱼草

Flower

Food

Yellow

Shrub on roadside or river side, wild

Anti-inflammatory, analgesic calm and protecting liver

Medicinal, ornamental

Yujing Liu, D3 (MUC)

Buddleja officinalis Maxim.

Loganiaceae

Mi meng hua密蒙花

Flower

Food

Yellow

Shrub on roadside or river side, wild

Treating dry eyes and gum (in the eyes) caused by liver vacuity, crying, blurred vision and cataracts caused by wind. It has also shown anti-inflammatory and blood glucose-reducing activity, as well as ability to strengthen immunity

Medicinal, edible

Yujing Liu, D8 (MUC)

Dioscorea cirrhosa Lour.

Dioscoreaceae

Shu liang薯莨

Tuber

Food

Brownish red

Mountain slope, wild

None

Medicinal, edible

Yujing Liu, D7 (MUC)

Diospyros kaki Thunb.

Ebenaceae

Shi 柿

Men

Bark

Food and cloth

Russet

Tree cultivated in homegarden

Clearing heat and removing toxicity, promoting blood circulation, lowering blood pressure functions

Medicinal, edible

Yujing Liu, D5 (MUC)

Liquidambar formosana Hance

Hamamelidaceae

Feng xiang shu枫香树

Mei yao

Leaves

Cloth

Black

Tree in forest, wild

Expel wind-damp, promote the circulation of qi and detoxify

Medicinal, timber for furniture-making

Yujing Liu, D1 (MUC)

Polygonum tinctorium Ait.

Polygonaceae

Liao lan蓼蓝

Bai ya

Stem

Cloth

Dark blue

Herb cultivated in farming field or homegarden

Clear heat and relieve toxicity, cool blood, mainly for curing mumps, decreasing swelling, and relieving pain and itching

Medicinal

Yujing Liu, D9 (MUC)

Reynoutria japonica Houtt.

Polygonaceae

Hu zhang虎杖

Xiong shen

Root

Food and cloth

Red

Herb in valley or river side, wild

Expel wind and promote diuresis, scatter stasis, relieve cough and reduce sputum

Medicinal, edible, ornamental, herbal tea

Yujing Liu, D11 (MUC)

Sassafras tzumu (Hemsl.) Hemsl.

Lauraceae

Cha mu檫木

Bark

Food

Brownish red

Tree in forest or mountain slope, wild

None

Medicinal, timber for furniture-making

Yujing Liu, D2 (MUC)

Strobilanthes cusia (Nees) Kuntze

Acanthaceae

Ban lan板蓝

Sang mei lan

Leaves

Cloth

Dark blue

Herb cultivated in farming field or homegarden

Clear heat and relieve toxicity, cool blood and relieve sore throat and can kill pathogenic microorganism and improve immunity

Medicinal

Yujing Liu, D12 (MUC)

Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb.

Ericaceae

Wu fan shu乌饭树

Leaves

Food

Black

Tree in forest or mountain slope, wild

None

Medicinal, ornamental

Yujing Liu, D10 (MUC)

Zanthoxylum simulans Hance

Rutaceae

Ye hua jiao 野花椒

La san

Root

Food

Red

Shrub in rocky slope, wild

None

Medicinal, spices

  1. "–" means these Dong names are not still used any more. Therefore, we could not record their names. Other Dong names are still used.