Documenting ethnobotanical knowledge of rural community for sustainable benefits / Jovita Elderson Ripen... [et al.]

A study was conducted to identify and document all plants with economic and cultural significance to the nine Singai Bidayuh communities (villages) around the foothills of Mount Singai. Key informant surveys were carried out in each of the villages prior to field documentation and collection of specimens for identification. The information on use and methods of preparations and applications were obtained from active practitioners or traditional “medicine men” and “medicine women” through interviews and application observations for medicinal plants. For each of the plant species identified, specific use, parts of the plant used, method of preparation and applications, and general precautionary notes were included. A total of 52 species of useful plants were documented for medicine and the remaining were for food, preservatives, and spiritual healing. A use and valuation survey on these plant species also revealed that the total value of traditional medicinal plant use for the Singai Bidayuh community based on the current rate of household participation of 10% is at RM15, 443.90 per year. The results have provided a baseline on the economic value of the forest resources and contributed towards a better management of the area as a community heritage

Sulettaria meekiongii, A new Zingiberaceae species from western Sarawak, Borneo

Sulettaria meekiongii Ripen & S.P. Teo, a new Zingiberaceae species is described herein. The new species is close to Sulettaria polycarpa. The new species can be differentiated by the pure white flower and fruits enclosed by the bract, (vs S. polycarpa) flower is white with a yellow band at the median of the labellum and the fruits are exposed. With the discovery of the new species, the number of Sulettaria species in Sarawak now has increased to 14 species. Keywords: species, Sarawak, Borneo, zingiberacea

Utilization Pattern and Value of Traditional Medicinal Plant Use in Jagoi Area, Bau, Sarawak

The use of medicinal plants based on traditional knowledge is widely known among the Bidayuh community in Sarawak. The local communities around Jagoi area, Bau are in the process of developing a strategic management plan to conserve their cultural heritage, the Mount Jagoi Community Forest. Based on a study carried out with the Bidayuh community of Jagoi area, a total of 117 species of plants with economic and cultural significance particularly plants with medicinal use were documented and collected. Of these, 60 species were recorded for medicinal purposes while 57 species of plants were for other uses. The plant family with the most species used are Euphorbiaceae and Moraceae (8 species each), Fabaceae (7 species), Arecaceae, Asteraceae and Dipterocarpaceae (5 species each) and followed by Piperaceae, Poaceae and Zingiberaceae (4 species each). Information were obtained by interviews with elderly informants recognized as having knowledge of their culture. Information collected included the species of plants used, their specific use, and the method of preparation or applications

TAXONOMIC STUDIES AND ETHNOMEDICINAL USES OF ZINGIBERACEAE AMONG THE BIDAYUH COMMUNITY IN SINGAI AND JAGOI BAU, SARAWAK

The Zingiberaceae is a ginger family, consists of perennial herbs with creeping horizontal or tuberous rhizomes. It is comprised of about 53 genera and more than 1500 species that are distributed throughout Asia and more than 1200 species mostly growing in tropical forests. Borneo itself have more than 250 species of gingers in 19 genera. Sarawak has 141 species in 18 genera. However, these are only the named species as many species are yet to be described or determined. Many species are economically important as spices, ornamental plants and medicinal purposes. Very few studies of the Zingiberaceae had been done. The only study that been done is on the inventory and taxonomy study of the species. The first study was done by Axel Dalberg Poulsen in 2006 to describe 64 species in 18 genera of Zingiberaceae found in Sarawak. The second study was done by Meekiong et.all in 2010 to record 70 species in 15 genera of gingers found n Lanjak Entimau Wildlife Santuary. In his study, he had discovered 5 new species of the wild gingers. However, the study of useful gingers are very limited and many more useful species may still discovered in the forests of Sarawak. This study will document the traditional knowledge of gingers species used by Bidayuh community in Jagoi and Singai Bau District. It is also reports on a pattern of use for the ginger species by Bidayuh in Singai and Jagoi, Bau and provides the information on the microscopic identification of useful Zingiberaceae among the Bidayuh community in Mount Sejinjang Singai and Mount Jagoi Bau, Sarawa

Identification of Zingiberaceae as Useful Plant by Bidayuh Bau in Mount Sejinjang Singai and Mount Jagoi Bau, Sarawak

The Zingiberaceae is a ginger family, consists of perennial herbs with creeping horizontal or tuberous rhizomes. It is comprised of about 53 genera and more than 1500 species that are distributed throughout Asia and more than 1200 species mostly growing in tropical forests. Borneo itself have more than 250 species of gingers in 19 genera. Sarawak has 141 species in 18 genera. Zingiberaceae is well known as gingers family with abundant numbers of spices widely used in Borneo, because of their unique flavors, ornamental and the medicinal values. The extracts of Zingiberaceae rhizome contain many essentials oils, including terpenes, alcohols, ketones, flavonoids, and phytoestrogens that use as medicine. Zingiberaceae grow vigorously in a wide range of habitats ranging from riverine to the mineral area, from lowland to the upper mountain regions. The utilization of Zingiberaceae as food, traditional medicine, spice, condiment, dye and flavour had been practiced by Bidayuh Singai and Jagoi in generation. Mount Sejinjang Singai was an old village own by Bidayuh Singai and Mount Jagoi was an old village own by Bidayuh Jagoi. Both villages have moved to new villages surrounding of each mountain area. They still practice the medicinal use of Zingiberaceae and some species are cultivated such as Zingiber officinale, Zingiber officinale var rubrum, Curcuma xanthorhiza, Curcuma domestica, Kaempferia galanga and Zingiber cassumunar. They mainly use for medicinal purposes as it can cure many diseases traditionally. These species are also sold in Bau local market by the local Bidayuh entrepreneur and digital online selling platform, Timogah.com