Three tribes, 12 genera and 38 species of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae) along five routes in Nam Nao National Park were surveyed between January 2012 and December 2013 to determine their diversity, ecological data, phenology, uses and conservation status. The highest diversity was found in the tribe Zingibereae (6 genera and 21 species), of which the genera Curcuma and Zingiber comprised the highest number species (eight species each). A species key was constructed based on morphology. The ginger family was found in four forest-types—deciduous dipterocarp forest, mixed deciduous forest, dry evergreen forest and pine forest. The most flowering bloom of the ginger family in Nam Nao National Park was during March to August and the most fruiting bloom was during June to September. The popular uses of Zingiberaceae were as a food, spice, in medicine, as ornamentation and in rituals. Eight species have been evaluated as of least concern and are presented in the IUCN Red List, while two rare species were reported in Thailand Red Data: Plants, while six rare Zingiberaceae species were identified based on the evaluation criteria of Saensouk (2011). Four species were endemic to Thailand. Moreover, Etlingera yunnanensis (T. L. Wu & S. J. Chen) R. M. Smith was a new record for Thailand

The Zingiberaceae family boasts remarkable species diversity, with significant implications for conservation and resource management. The objective of this research is to study the diversity and traditional utilization of Zingiberaceae in Nakhon Nayok Province. Through field observations, herbarium specimens, interviews, and surveys, we documented the species, classified them into tribes, genera, and species, and analyzed their distribution across districts. The findings revealed a rich species diversity, encompassing 155 species from 16 genera and 3 tribes. The tribe Zingibereae displayed the highest species diversity (120 species), followed by Alpinieae (23 species) and Globbeae (12 species). These species were found in diverse ecosystems such as dry evergreen forests, mixed deciduous forests, and more. The study also identified the Mueang district as having the highest species count. Additionally, we explored the traditional utilization of Zingiberaceae plants in Nakhon Nayok Province, which encompasses various purposes including ornamental use, rituals, traditional medicine, and more. This research contributes valuable insights into the ecological and cultural significance of Zingiberaceae plants, identifies endangered species requiring conservation measures, and sheds light on the unique plant diversity and cultural heritage in Nakhon Nayok Province. These findings serve as a valuable resource for conservation efforts, sustainable utilization, and future research.

Saensouk P, Saensouk S. 2021. Diversity, traditional uses and conservation status of Zingiberaceae in Udorn Thani Province, Thailand. Biodiversitas 22: 3083-3097. Southeast Asia is recognized as the center of Zingiberaceae distribution with Thailand is among the important regions. Nonetheless, a comprehensive study in a regional context that investigates the biological aspects of the family is lacking. This study aimed to determine the diversity, distribution, ecology, conservation status, and traditional uses of the family Zingiberaceae in Udorn Thani Province, northeastern Thailand. In total, three tribes, nine genera, 47 species of Zingiberaceae were identified during a botanical survey between January and December 2020 in Udorn Thani. Curcuma and Kempferia were the most diverse genera with nine and eight species, respectively, followed by Zingiber as the third most diverse genus with seven species and Alpinia as the fourth most diverse genus with six species. While the genera Etlingera and Hedychium were the least diverse with each containing just one species. For all Zingiberaceae species, the flowering period was found between March and September, while the fruiting period was found between May and October. Zingiberaceae was found with the greatest frequency in five ecosystem types, namely cultivated areas, deciduous dipterocarp forest, mixed deciduous forest, dry evergreen forest and river basin. Twenty-one species were reported as rare species in research area, i.e. Boesenbergia baimaii, B. isanensis, Kaempferia picheansoonthonii, and K. udonensis. It was revealed that the traditional uses of many Zingiberaceae species from villagers in Udorn Thani Province were most frequently used for medicine, food, ornamentals, rituals, spices, perfume and cosmetics. Rhizomes, roots, pseudostems, young inflorescences, inflorescences, young leaves, leaves and fruits were the parts of this plant used.

Mulberry fruits are used for food, cosmetics and medicine. Several phytochemical and bioactive compounds in mulberry fruits are widely used for health benefits. During the ripening stage of mulberry fruits, different phytochemicals are present. This study investigates color, phytochemical compounds and antioxidant activity in mulberry fruit during seven ripening stages. The results indicate that the color changes from green to purple. The green stage contains high levels of vitamin c (12 mg/gDW), while the purple stage has the highest sugar levels, particularly fructose (241 mg/gDW) and glucose (171 mg/gDW). Trends of amino acids, anthocyanin and vitamin C increased initially, peaking in M6 and then declined in the final ripening stage (M7). Phenolic acid, flavonoids and γ-aminobutyric increased when the ripening level increased. The antioxidants activity was analyzed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) free radical and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. It was found to have the highest contents in M7 at 19 mgTE/gDW (DPPH) and 22 mg FeSO₄/gDW (FRAP), which were positively correlated with the total phenolic and total flavonoid contents. This study provides information on mulberry fruit during ripening that should be helpful in designing products while maintaining its high antioxidant content, excellent bioactivity and quality for use in food, cosmetics and medicine.