Ethnobotany and Its Modern Applied Research in China

Authors Pei Shengji

Journal Plant Diversity and Resourcues , 2013,4:35

Abstract Ethnobotany was born in 1896. The extensive demanding on plant resources for industry development in nineteen century and the richness of plant resources in colonial territories were the great driven force for ethnobotany. Robber, tea, coffee, coca and many important medical and aromatic plants,precious timbers were exploited from tropical forests which greatly supported the development of industry and world trade. Since last century, accelerated industry development and economy globalization resulted degradetion of natural resources and environment world wide, biodiversity conservation and environment protection have been the common goal and global concern, ethnobotany as a scientific field has been development from classic field survey and utilization of plant resources to plant conservation and traditional botanical knowledge protection. Maintaining the co-exist of biodiversity and cultural diversity, to serve for sustainable use of plant resources and socio-economic development are the core taks for ethnobotany in the new era of the world.Ethnobotany is deep-rooted in traditional Chinese culture. However ethnobotany as discipline to study with in China was begun in 1982 at beginning of the reform policy and opening up to the world, fast development of industry has resulted huge demanding to natural resources and modernization of agriculture has a great influence on traditional knowledge and genetic resources in China, which are the most important issues in the sustainable development of China today and provides a historical opportunity for the new development of ethnobotany in China.