Ethnobotany of Wild Edible Plants in Multi-ethnic Areas of Gansu-Ningxia-Inner Mongolia Junction Zone

Abstract Introduction: In recent years, research on wild edible plant resources has become a hotspot.Hassan Nature Reserve is a multi-ethnic mixed area mainly composed of Han, Hui and Mongolian. The edible development of wild plant resources in this area is extremely high. However, with the advancement of urbanization and the development of modern agricultural technology, such resources have been seriously damaged, and the related traditional knowledge such as national medicine has been lost.Methods: With the methods of literature study, interview with village and community organizations, participatory observation and quantitative evaluation of ethnobotany, the wild edible plants in hassan region of gansu-ningxia-inner mongolia interchange belt were investigated and studied.Results: The survey results showed that there were 53 species (varieties) of wild edible plants belonging to 24 families in this area, with 8 species and 7 species in Compositae and Liliaceae, respectively, being the most abundant. The young stems and leaves were the most edible parts, with 17 species, followed by the fruits (including young fruits) with 16 species. In addition, the edible parts also included root or rhizome (bulb), seed, whole plant, skin, etc. There were two types of raw food and cooked food, raw food was mainly used as snacks, mainly fruit; The cooked food is mainly vegetables with tender stems and leaves as the main, in addition can also be used as seasoning, medicinal diet, emergency food in the famine years. Important (CFSI>500) wild edible health-care plants in the region include: Mulgedium tataricum (L.) DC., Nostoccommune, Sonchus arvensis L., Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz., Allium schoenoprasum, Robinia pseudoacacia, Hemerocallis citrina Baroni, Elaeagnus angustifolia Linn., Medicago sativa L., Ulmus pumila L., Stachys sieboldii Miq. var. sieboldii, Tooinensis (A. Juss.) Roem. var. sinensis, had high utilization value and utilization rate in the locality.Conclusion: In summary, the species, edible parts, edible categories, edible methods and health care functions of wild edible plants in this area are diverse, and the traditional utilization knowledge is rich, and some wild plants have high development value.