Globally, wild edible plants (WEPs) play a critical role in sustaining livelihoods and preserving cultural heritage. This study investigates traditional knowledge of WEPs in Taishan County, Guangdong Province of China, through market surveys, semi-structured interviews (n = 162), and participant observation, with the primary objective of sustainable utilization of WEPs and safeguarding their cultural significance. Finally, 131 WEPs belonging to 59 families were identified, which are mainly used as tea substitutes, wild vegetables, and spices. We analyzed the diversity of consumed WEPs, documented the utilized plant parts and preparation methods, selected 8 culturally significant species [Portulaca oleracea L., Houttuynia cordata Thunb., Plantago asiatica L., Centella asiatica (L.) Urb., Amaranthus spinosus L., Perilla frutescens (L.) Britton, Hypericum japonicum Thunb. ex Murray, and Eleutherococcus trifoliatus (L.) S. Y. Hu] via the Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI) analysis, and provided the sustainable utilization strategies. These plants are deeply embedded in local traditions, including medicinal herbal teas, nutritious Cantonese-style soups, and bitter-tasting tonic dishes, embodying the “Food as Medicine” philosophy. However, this knowledge is now predominantly held by older generations, and threatened by rapid urbanization and youth disengagement. Future research should prioritize strategies to conserve cultural and ecological diversity while incorporating WEPs into contemporary food systems.

The species Anisomeles indica is used medicinally and widely distributed from India, to China and the Indo-China Peninsula. The first complete plastid genome sequence of A. indica reported here was 151,900 bp long, with the large single copy (LSC) region of 83,144 bp, the small single copy (SSC) region of 17,556 bp and two inverted repeats (IRa and IRb) of 25,600 bp. The plastome contained 113 genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 4 ribosomla RNA genes and 30 transfer RNA genes. The overall GC content was 38.26%. Result from phylogenetic analysis suggests that Anisomeles is closely related to the genus Pogostemon.

Manglietia Blume, belonging to the Magnoliaceae family and mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, has great scientific and economic value. In this study, we employed next-generation sequencing followed by de novo assembly to investigate the adaptive evolution of Manglietia using plastid genetic information. We newly sequenced the complete or nearly complete plastomes of four Manglietia species (Manglietia aromatica, Manglietia calcarea, Manglietia kwangtungensis, and Manglietia glauca) and conducted comparative analysis with seventeen published plastomes to examine the evolutionary pattern within this genus. The plastomes of these five newly sequenced Manglietia species range from 157,093 bp (M. calcarea2) to 160,493 bp (M. kwangtungensis), all exhibiting circular structures when mapped. Nucleotide diversity was observed across the plastomes, leading us to identify 13 mutational hotspot regions, comprising eight intergenic spacer regions and five gene regions. Our phylogenetic analyses based on 77 protein-coding genes generated phylogenetic relationships with high support and resolution for Manglietia. This genus can be divided into three clades, and the previously proposed infrageneric classifications are not supported by our studies. Furthermore, the close affinity between M. aromatica and M. calcarea is supported by the present work, and further studies are necessary to conclude the taxonomic treatment for the latter. These results provide resources for the comparative plastome, breeding, and plastid genetic engineering of Magnoliaceae and flowering plants.

Mixing and matching N₂-fixing leguminous species is a crucial strategy to enhance quality and efficiency in sustainable forestry. Tree leaves and rhizosphere are primary sites for matter and energy exchange, functioning as key assimilation organs that forests provide for ecological services. The introduction of functional species alters soil properties, which, in turn, directly or indirectly shape leaf functional traits, soil microbial dynamics, and their association. However, the correlation between aboveground functional traits and belowground rhizosphere soil microorganisms of dominant tree species in mixed leguminous and non-leguminous forests remains unclear. In this study, the responses and correlations of leaf functional traits and rhizosphere soil microbial communities of Castanopsis hystrix Hook. f. & Thomson ex A. DC. across three forest types were investigated. A pure forest (PF) of C. hystrix was designated as control forest, while a leguminous mixed forest (LMF) consisting of C. hystrix and the leguminous species Acacia mangium Willd. as well as a non-leguminous mixed forest (NMF) comprising C. hystrix and the non-leguminous species Schima superba Gardner & Champ. served as experimental forests. Seven leaf functional trait indices were measured, and the high-throughput sequencing of soil microbial communities was included in the analysis. The results were as follows: Firstly, compared to the pure forest, the specific leaf area (SLA) of C. hystrix significantly decreased in both mixed forest types (p < 0.05). Additionally, in comparison to the pure forest, the leaf area (LA) and leaf organic carbon content (LOC) of C. hystrix significantly reduced (p < 0.05), whereas the leaf total phosphorus content (LTP) significantly increased in the non-leguminous tree species mixed forest (p < 0.01). The leaf dry matter content (LDMC), relative chlorophyll content (RCC), and leaf total nitrogen content (LTN) of C. hystrix exhibited no significant differences among the three forest types (p > 0.05). Secondly, neither the dominant phyla of rhizosphere soil microorganisms nor the bacterial richness and diversity had differences in the mixed forests. However, the richness and diversity of rhizosphere soil fungi significantly increased in the mixed forests, and those in the leguminous mixed forest exhibited more positive effects compared to those in the non-leguminous mixed forest. Finally, redundancy analysis (RDA) showed significant correlations between plant leaf functional traits and rhizosphere soil microorganisms. Specifically, LDMC, SLA, LTN, and LTP of C. hystrix showed significant correlations with differences in the structure of bacterial community (p < 0.05), and LTN was significantly correlated with differences in the structure of the fungal community (p < 0.05). In summary, we found that plant leaf functional traits and the community of rhizosphere soil microorganisms displayed significant differences in the mixed forests, and those mixed with leguminous trees may further enhance the assimilation processes by modifying the utilization of nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus by plants and microorganisms. Meanwhile, our results support the interaction of physiological and ecological processes between the aboveground and belowground parts of C. hystrix. These findings emphasize the important roles of N₂-fixing leguminous trees and synergy of aboveground–belowground processes in establishing sustainable artificial forests.

Psammosilene tunicoides is an endangered medical herb endemic to south-western China. In this study, the complete plastid genome of the species was characterized and assembled using the next-generation DNA sequencing method. The plastid genome is 153,978 bp in length, including a large single copy (LSC) region of 83,981 bp and a small single copy (SSC) region of 17,489 bp, which were separated by a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions of 26,254 bp. The genome encoded 112 unique genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, four ribosomal RNA genes, and 30 transfer RNA genes. The overall GC content of the whole genome is 36.49%. The phylogenetic analysis based on 17 plastid genome of Caryophyllaceae revealed that P. tunicoides nested within the tribe Caryophylleae with strong support value.