Medicinal plants play a crucial role in primary healthcare among indigenous communities; however, systematic ethnomedicinal documentation of the Yao people in Lingyun County, Guangxi, remains limited. This study aimed to document the diversity, traditional uses, and cultural significance of medicinal plants used by the Yao community. Ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 104 informants. A total of 172 species belonging to 135 genera and 73 families were recorded, with Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, and Asteraceae being the most represented families. Herbs were the dominant growth form, and whole plants, roots, and shoots were the most frequently used parts, typically prepared in dried form and administered orally. Fidelity Level (FL) values ranged from 6.67 to 100, with several species showing high consensus in therapeutic use. Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) values (0.778–1.000) indicated strong agreement among informants, particularly for musculoskeletal, skin, gastrointestinal, and immune-related disorders. These findings highlight the richness and consistency of ethnomedicinal knowledge among the Yao people and provide a scientific basis for future pharmacological research, conservation planning, and the sustainable use of medicinal plant resources.

Edible flowers are important components of traditional food systems and biocultural practices in southern China, yet their ethnobotanical significance remains poorly documented. This study investigated the diversity, traditional uses, and cultural importance of edible flowers in Baise City through semi-structured interviews, market surveys, and field observations with local informants. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including the Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI), Fidelity Level (FL), and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), were applied to evaluate cultural and medicinal importance. A total of 96 edible flower taxa belonging to 77 genera and 44 families were documented. Most species were native to China, herbaceous in growth form, and collected from wild habitats. Inflorescences were the most commonly utilized floral organs. Edible flowers were used as vegetables, herbal teas, medicinal edible plants, natural food colorants, condiments, desserts, and snack foods. Species such as Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC., Plantago asiatica L., and Solanum americanum Mill. showed high cultural significance. A total of 64 taxa were recognized as medicinal edible plants, and high ICF values indicated strong agreement among informants regarding ethnomedicinal uses. These findings demonstrate the important roles of edible flowers in local food systems, traditional healthcare, and biocultural heritage, emphasizing their relevance for biodiversity conservation and sustainable food practices.

Traditional markets play an important role in the exchange of plant resources and the preservation of traditional food knowledge. This study documents the diversity of food plants traded in Renmin Market, located in Youjiang District, Baise City, Guangxi, China, and evaluates their cultural importance using the Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI). Field surveys were conducted through market observations and interviews with vendors and local informants. All edible plant species were recorded, including their scientific names, vernacular names, used parts, and modes of consumption. A total of 104 food plant taxa were documented, representing a wide range of plant families and growth forms. The recorded plants were used in four main utilization categories: vegetables, spices, fruits, and beverages. Frequently used plant parts included fruits, leaves, shoots, and underground organs such as roots, rhizomes, and tubers. The CFSI values showed considerable variation in cultural importance among species, ranging from 21.6 to 1764. The highest CFSI values were recorded for Cucurbita pepo, Allium cepa, Cucurbita maxima, and Houttuynia cordata, reflecting their frequent consumption and versatility in local cuisine. Comparative analysis with previous studies in Baise City indicated that 38 species were shared among three markets, while 30 species were recorded exclusively in Renmin Market. These findings highlight the diversity of food plants available in local markets and their importance in maintaining regional culinary traditions and plant-based dietary diversity.

Verbenaceae are prominent components of cultivated and human-influenced landscapes, yet their taxonomic and horticultural diversity and relationships with local plant knowledge remain poorly documented in Buri Ram Province, Thailand. This study provides an integrated province-wide assessment of Verbenaceae across all 23 districts, combining voucher-based taxonomy and ecological occurrence with community recognition, utilization, cultural importance, and vernacular nomenclature. Field surveys and interviews with 460 informants documented 16 taxa in eight genera, including species, an interspecific hybrid, named cultivars, and horticultural variants. Regarding their biogeographical status in Thailand, 15 recorded taxa were classified as introduced, whereas Phyla nodiflora was the only native taxon. Ornamental use dominated, accounting for 1370 of 1405 use reports, whereas medicinal uses were recorded only for P. nodiflora and Stachytarpheta jamaicensis. Twenty-two unique vernacular names, including Thai and Thai-Khmer forms, frequently reflected morphological or sensory characteristics and horticultural terminology. Recognition, reported utilization, and vernacular differentiation did not necessarily correspond with taxonomic or horticultural diversity. By integrating voucher-based botanical documentation with horticultural diversity and community-derived knowledge, this study complements conventional floristic approaches and provides baseline evidence for understanding plant diversity and human–plant relationships in Southeast Asian community landscapes.

Zingiber isanense and Z. baumii were originally distinguished by characters of uncertain stability across natural populations. We reassessed their relationship through field observations, herbarium and protologue comparisons, and phenetic analyses of 32 morphological characters from 180 flowering individuals in six northeastern Thai populations. Matching leaf blade width, corolla color, and labellum color to the original descriptions classified 54 OTUs as Z. isanense-like, 20 as Z. baumii-like, and 106 as intermediate (an operational category). Among Z. baumii-like OTUs, reddish labellum markings were present in 14, bright-yellow lateral staminodes in nine, and both states in seven; these features also occurred in other profiles. Phenetic analyses showed partial differentiation but no exclusive Z. baumii-like assemblage. Combined with type-associated comparisons, these findings support a broader morphological circumscription of Z. isanense and the proposed heterotypic synonymy of Z. baumii. Verified records from Thailand and southern Laos yielded an extent of occurrence (EOO) of 15,076.45 km² and an area of occupancy (AOO) of 44 km². The corresponding Thailand-only estimates were 8173.961 km² and 36 km², respectively. Fewer than 50 reproductively mature individuals were recorded at each of the six surveyed Thai localities. Assuming comparably small populations at additional known localities, Vulnerable (VU D1) is provisionally proposed at the national level in Thailand. Insufficient population data from Laos preclude a comprehensive range-wide conservation assessment.