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Ethnobotany of hill tribes of northern thailand. II. Lahu medicinal plants

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Abstract

The Lahu, the third largest of the 6 main tribes in northern Thailand, migrated into Thailand from Burma within the past 100 yr. Most still live in the hills above 1,200 m and practice swidden agriculture. Health is a main theme of the Lahu culture and they treat illness and injuries in a variety of ways. Traditional medicines derived from plants are usually employed first, although modern medical treatment is becoming more widespread. Because of this, it appears that they may be losing their knowledge of medicinal plants. Appendix 1 lists 68 different species and the medical use or uses of them by the Lahu. Appendix 2 lists 21 species not previously reported as having therapeutic value. Voucher specimens are deposited in ECON, WCW, JEPS.

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Anderson, E.F. Ethnobotany of hill tribes of northern thailand. II. Lahu medicinal plants. Econ Bot 40, 442–450 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02859657

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02859657

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