Abstract
For the half a million people living in the remote mountains of northern Thailand, day-to-day survival is dependent upon the forest and the many treasures it contains, including material for medicinal use, fibres, foods, and bamboos. These people have an intimate knowledge of hundreds of plants the world cannot afford to lose. To record the wisdom and experience of these tribal people who for generations have lived in a close, balanced relationship with their ambient environment, this information was gathered and studied. Over 1000 plant species used by the 6 major hill tribes were identified. The people, their environment, and the plants they use are described. Individual chapters deal with the most important plants, such as rice, opium, and bamboo, and with farming practices in general. Plants from the forest that yield fibres and dyes, medicines, leisure-time materials, and products used for dealing with the spirit world, are documented in additional chapters. All plants used by the hill tribes, their scientific names, family, use(s), tribe(s) that use it, and herbarium collection numbers are listed in an appendix. In the second appendix, all medicinal plants, the ailment treated, the plant parts used, and how the medicine is administered, are listed. KEYWORDS: TROPAG | Oryza sativa Papaver somniferum Bambusa | Dendrocalamus | Cultural Practices | ethnobotany | crops | forest products | drug plants | ethnic groups | Thailand.