The Ethnobotanical Knowledge in Mt. Gayasan National Park

Ethnobotanical knowledge on native plants is critical on the conservation and management of biological resources. We investigated traditional knowledge of ethnobotanical uses in the Mt. Gayasan National Park area. Interviews were carried out to 189 residents at 176 places, and verified species and usage information was categorized by taxonomic groups, usage, and used parts. The ethnobotanical species of the regions consisted of a total of 275 taxa in 91 families including 105 cultivars. Sunflower family (Asteraceae) is the most widely used family with 30 taxa (7 cultivars). Rose family (Rosaceae, 25 taxa with 11 cultivars), Bean family (Fabaceae, 15 taxa with 11 cultivars), Grass family (Poaceae, 15 taxa with 10 cultivars), and Lily family (Liliaceae, 14 taxa with 4 cultivars) followed. About 50 taxa belong to the Approved Species for Delivering Overseas designated by Korea Ministry of Environment, and six Korean endemic taxa have been traditionally valuable in the regions. Many cultivated species have been utilized for various purposes accompanied local and native plants. The main usage of the plants are edible (175 taxa) and medicinal (168 taxa). Leaves are most commonly used parts (105 taxa), followed by stems (93 taxa), fruits (73 taxa), roots (55 taxa), and wholes (54 taxa). The study does not only provides examples of traditional uses of native plants, but also facilitates conservation of natural resources and sustainable developments of ethnobotanical knowledge for the contemporary human society.