Table 1.
Twelve wild leafy vegetable species encountered in two Karen and two Lawa villages in northern Thailand, giving their scientific name, family, common name in English, ethnobotanical information, distribution, collection period, and their Cultural Food Significance Index (CFSI) values.
| Scientific Name (Family); Voucher Number (Punchay # Deposited at CMUB) | Folk Name [29] | Traditional Use by the Karen (K) and the Lawa (L) [29] | Distribution | Collection Period | CFSI Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz (Bignoniaceae) 566 | Do ka (K) Dak ra wi (L) |
Young shoots or fruits eaten raw or cooked. Inner bark grated and added to food for bitter taste (K, L). | Asia | All year | 813 |
| Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. (Apiaceae) 546 | Sui po na do (K) Phak nhok (L) |
Aerial parts eaten raw as a side dish for treating bruises (K, L). | Africa, Asia, North- and South America, and Oceania | All year | 629 |
| Senegalia rugata (Lam.) Britton and Rose (Leguminosae) 605 | Pa chi (K) Kad ka ha (L) |
Young shoots eaten raw or cooked with fish (K, L). | Asia and Oceania | All year | 437 |
| Ficus auriculata Lour. (Moraceae) 542 | Ta kue po (K) Mae (L) |
Shoots boiled as a side dish or cooked (K, L). | Asia | May–Oct | 432 |
| Clerodendrum glandulosum Lindl. (Lamiaceae) 304 | Ko ko do (K) Tung lam (L) |
Young leaves boiled and pressed to reduce bitter taste, then fried with eggs or cooked as soup (K, L). | Asia | Dec–Apr | 392 |
| Spondias pinnata (L. f.) Kurz (Anacardiaceae) 443 | Pi sae (K) Kok (L) |
Young leaves eaten raw as a side dish (K, L). Stems decocted for treating diarrhea (K). | Asia | Jun–Jan | 379 |
| Lygodium flexuosum (L.) Sw. (Lygodiaceae) 457 | Ki ko do (K) Wu wia (L) |
Shoots boiled as a side dish or cooked (K, L). Roots boiled as a beverage (tea) (K). | Asia and Oceania | May–Feb | 378 |
| Oenanthe javanica (Blume) DC. (Apiaceae) 564 | Po a do (K) Tu klae (L) |
Aerial parts eaten raw as a side dish (K, L). | Asia | Jun–Dec | 365 |
| Acmella paniculata (Wall. ex DC.) R.K.Jansen (Asteraceae) 594 | Hor te mi (K) Tu plei (L) |
Aerial parts eaten raw with chili paste or cooked (K, L). Roots chewed to treat toothache (K). | Asia | Jun–Jan | 353 |
| Acmella uliginosa (Sw.) Cass. (Asteraceae) 522 | Hor te mi (K) Tu plei (L) |
Aerial parts eaten raw with chili paste or cooked. Roots chewed to treat toothache (K, L). | Native pantropical | Jun–Jan | 353 |
| Monochoria vaginalis (Burm.f.) C.Presl (Pontederiaceae) 690 | No do (K) Seuk lek (L) |
Young shoots and petioles eaten raw or cooked (K, L). | Asia and North America (introduced) | May–Sep | 336 |
| Musa acuminata Colla (Musaceae) 536 | Ya pa la (K) Lha wong pia (L) |
Pseudostems chopped and cooked as soup/or used as fodder; inflorescences were eaten raw or cooked (K, L). | Throughout tropics in Africa, America, and Asia | All year | 308 |