Table 1 Inventory of plants used to make medicinal soups by the Hakka people in West Fujian, China

Houttuynia cordata Thunb.

Saururaceae

[ɡie⁵³tiŋ⁵³tsɿ⁵³]

Herb

Whole plant

Summer

Crucian

Clear heat, induce diuresis, boost immunity

HKSP-02

Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers.

Lauraceae

[tsʰuŋ⁵⁵tsɿ⁵³fo⁵⁵ɡæn⁵⁵]

Shrub

Root

Whole year

Chicken, pig feet

Treat puerperal fever, treat rheumatism, relieve swelling and pain

HKSP-40

Smilax glabra Roxb.

Smilacaceae

[ŋɔn⁵⁵pʰoŋ⁵³tʰie¹¹]

Shrub

Rhizome

Summer and fall

Pork ribs

Detoxify, treat rheumatism

HKSP-36

Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wall.) Lindl.

Orchidaceae

[tɕaŋ⁵⁵ɕin²⁴¹liŋ¹¹]

Herb

Whole plant

Summer and fall

Chicken, pig heart

Clear heat, treat cancer, treat bronchitis, reduce blood pressure

HKSP-18

Pholidota chinensis Lindl.

Orchidaceae

[soɡ²⁴kɔŋ⁵⁵lan¹¹]

Herb

Whole plant

Fall

Pig bone, duck

Clear heat, nourish the stomachache, nourish yin, eliminate phlegm and stop cough

HKSP-16

Hemerocallis citrina Baroni

Xanthorrhoeaceae

[tɕaŋ⁵⁵tsaŋ⁵⁵tsʰu²⁴¹]

Herb

Flower

June to September

Pork

Detoxify, induce diuresis, diminish inflammation, calm the nerves

HKSP-19

Juncus effusus L.

Juncaceae

[tæŋ⁵⁵sɑŋ⁵⁵tsʰau⁵³]

Herb

Stem pith

Summer and fall

Pig heart

Clear heat, induce diuresis

HKSP-17

Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.

Nelumbonaceae

[liŋ¹¹tsɿ⁵³]

Herb

seed

Summer

pork ribs, duck

Clear heat, nourish yin

HKSP-07

Abrus cantoniensis Hance

Fabaceae

[ɡai⁵⁵ku⁵³tsʰau⁵³]

Shrub

Whole plant

Whole year

Pork, pork ribs, pigs feet

Clear heat, detoxify, treat hepatitis

HKSP-31

Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi

Fabaceae

[ku⁵³]

Liana

Root

Fall and winter

Pork ribs, duck

Treat fever, prevent alcoholism, resolve phlegm to relive cough

HKSP-28

Tadehagi triquetrum (L.) H. Ohashi

Fabaceae

[soɡ²⁴kiɛ⁵³sæb²⁴]

Shrub

Leaf and root

Summer and fall

Pork

Improve digestion, clear heat, induce diuresis

HKSP-38

Uraria crinita (L.) DC.

Fabaceae

[lau²⁴vu⁵³len¹¹]

Shrub

Whole plant

Whole year

Pork, young chicken

Clear heat, improve digestion

HKSP-34

Phymatopteris hastata (Thunb.) Pic. Serm.

Polypodiaceae

[aɡ⁵³tʃuo⁵³tsʰau⁵³]

Herb

Whole plant

Summer and fall

Pork

Clear heat, induce diuresis

HKSP-01

Polygala fallax Hemsl.

Polygalaceae

[kuŋ⁵⁵iɑŋ⁵⁵tsʰu²⁴¹]

Shrub

Root

Summer and fall

Chicken, pork

Nourish, clear damp, postpartum recover, nourish the kidney and liver

HKSP-33

Rosa laevigata Michx.

Rosaceae

[tʰuŋ¹¹kuŋ²⁴tsɿ⁵³]

Shrub

Fruit, root

October to November

Pig kidney

Tonify kidney, tonify Yang

HKSP-39

Berchemia lineata (L.) DC.

Rhamnaceae

[lo²⁴tsʰea⁵³xen⁵³]

Shrub

Root

Fall and winter

Pig bone

Detoxify, diminish inflammation, treat rheumatism, treat hepatitis, treat hernia

HKSP-35

Ficus gasparriniana Miq. var. laceratifola (Levl. et Vant.) Corner

Moraceae

[pʰoɡ²⁴fo⁵⁵ŋie¹¹nen²⁴¹ɡæn⁵⁵]

Shrub

Root

Whole year

Pig bone, chicken

Clear heat, nourish yin, improve digestion, treat gynopathy

HKSP-37

Ficus hirta Vahl

Moraceae

[eŋ⁵⁵tsɿ⁵³mau¹¹tʰau¹¹]

Shrub

Root

Whole year

Chicken

Improve eyesight, nourish yin, improve digestion, dispel dampness

HKSP-30

Morus alba L.

Moraceae

[suŋ⁵⁵]

Tree

Root

Whole year

Pork

Clear heat, treat rheumatism

HKSP-42

Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino

Cucurbitaceae

[eŋ⁵³nit²⁴samŋ¹¹]

Shrub

Stem and leaf

Summer and fall

Chicken

Diminish inflammation, resolve phlegm to relive cough, treat diabetes, depress blood pressure

HKSP-29

Ricinus communis L.

Euphorbiaceae

[pi²⁴mo¹¹ɡɔŋ⁵³]

Herb

Stem

The Winter Solstice

Female duck

Clear heat, clear damp, nourish yin

HKSP-13

Rhodomyrtus tomentosa (Ait.) Hassk.

Myrtaceae

[tuŋ²⁴liŋ¹¹tsɿ⁵³]

Shrub

Root

Whole year

Pigs feet

Treat chronic diarrhea, treat rheumatism, treat hepatitis, reduce blood fat

HKSP-41

Osbeckia chinensis L.

Melastomataceae

Herb

Whole plant

May and June

Pork

Clear heat, improve digestion, treat hepatitis, treat enteritis

HKSP-25

Thlaspi arvense L.

Brassicaceae

[kʰea⁵³tsa⁵⁵]

Herb

Leaf

Summer and fall

Pig bag, pork intestine

Clear heat, improve digestion, detoxify, treat diabetes

HKSP-05

Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R.Br. ex DC.

Amaranthaceae

[poɡ²⁴fo⁵⁵tsɿ⁵³], [ma⁵³tʰin⁵⁵sɑŋ⁵⁵]

Herb

Root

Whole year

Pork, pork ribs

Clear heat, improve digestion, treat hepatitis, treat toothache

HKSP-14

Amaranthus spinosus L.

Amaranthaceae

[læ⁵³ɕiŋ²⁴¹], [io⁵⁵lə⁵³ɕiŋ²⁴¹]

Herb

Root

Spring, summer and fall

Pork ribs, pork intestine

Clear heat, diminish inflammation, treat cholecystitis, treat cholelithiasis

HKSP-06

Portulaca oleracea L.

Portulacaceae

[mo⁵⁵tsʰɿ⁵³xae⁵³]

Herb

Whole plant

Spring and summer

Pork, pork ribs

Clear heat, induce diuresis, detoxify, diminish inflammation

HKSP-08

Lysimachia clethroides Duby

Primulaceae

Herb

Whole plant

Fall

Pork and pork liver

Nourish women, induce diuresis

HKSP-26

Hedyotis diffusa Willd.

Rubiaceae

[pʰoɡ²⁴fo⁵⁵sɛ²⁴sɛ²⁴tsʰau⁵³]

Herb

Whole plant

Summer and fall

Chicken

Clear heat, induce diuresis, prevent and treat cancer, diminish inflammation

HKSP-12

Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merr.

Rubiaceae

[ɡie⁵³pʰi²⁴tʰɛn¹¹]

Liana

Root

Summer and fall

Pork ribs, fish

Clear heat, induce diuresis, postpartum recovery

HKSP-27

Lycium chinense Mill.

Solanaceae

[ɡie⁵³tɕiɡ⁵³]

Shrub

Leaf

Summer and fall

Mutton, dog meat

Nourishing, tonify kidney and liver

HKSP-32

Leonurus artemisia (Lour.) S.Y.Hu

Lamiaceae

[i²⁴mea⁵⁵tsʰau⁵³]

Herb

Whole plant

Spring and summer

Old hen

Relieve cough, treat cold, treat gynecopathy, postpartum recovery

HKSP-04

Prunella vulgaris L.

Lamiaceae

[hɔ⁵³kʰeat⁵⁵sʰau⁵³]

Herb

Whole plant

July to August

Pork

Clear heat, improve eyesight, treat mumps, treat toothache

HKSP-03

Rabdosia serra (Maxim.) H.Hara

Lamiaceae

[tʰea⁵³vuŋ¹¹liŋ¹¹]

Herb

Whole plant

Summer and fall

Fish

Clear heat, treat hepatitis, treat cholecystitis

HKSP-20

Scutellaria barbata D. Don

Lamiaceae

[pɑn²⁴¹tɕi⁵⁵liŋ¹¹]

Herb

Whole plant

Summer and fall

Pork ribs, rabbit

Diminish inflammation, relieve swelling and pain, treat traumatic injury

HKSP-10

Artemisia argyi H.Lév. & Vaniot

Asteraceae

[ŋai²⁴¹tsʰau⁵³]

Herb

Whole plant

May to August

Chicken

Clear heat, treat rheumatism, diminish inflammation, stop cough

HKSP-09

Elephantopus scaber L.

Asteraceae

[tʰi⁵⁵dɑn³¹tʰiɛ¹¹]

Herb

Root

Summer and fall

Duck

Clear heat, detoxify, stop cough, induce diuresis and reduce edema

HKSP-21

Gnaphalium affine D. Don

Asteraceae

[poɡ²⁴tʰiɛ¹¹ɡɑŋ⁵⁵]

Herb

Whole plant

Spring

Pork ribs, rabbit

Stop cough, treat tracheitis and bronchitis, treat rheumatism

HKSP-15

Inula cappa (Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don) DC.

Asteraceae

[vu⁵⁵tʃuo⁵³ɡai⁵⁵]

Herb

Root

Summer and fall

Pork

Dispel wind and relieve pain, detoxify, treat rheumatism

HKSP-23

Laggera alata Nanth.

Asteraceae

[yŋ²⁴eŋ⁵³saŋ⁵⁵tiŋ⁵⁵]

Herb

Whole plant

Summer and fall

Rabbit

Clear heat, diminish inflammation, treat cold, stop cough, treat rheumatism

HKSP-24

Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz.

Asteraceae

[pɑu²¹⁴pɑu²¹⁴tæŋ⁵⁵]

Herb

Whole plant

Whole year

Pork ribs

Clear heat, detoxify, induce diuresis and reduce edema, treat hepatitis

HKSP-11

Eryngium foetidum L.

Apiaceae

[tsʰɿ²⁴tɕʰiɑŋ¹¹]

Herb

Stem and leaf

Whole year

Pig bone

Tonify stomach, treat cold, diminish inflammation

HKSP-22