Diversity and Ethnobotanical Knowledge of Spice Plants and Pickled Vegetables in Youjiang District, Baise City, Guangxi, China

Spices and pickled vegetables play a central role in everyday cuisine in China, contributing to flavor, food preservation, and dietary continuity, yet their ethnobotanical diversity and use patterns remain insufficiently documented in urbanizing regions. This study aimed to document the diversity, utilization forms, and cultural importance of spice plants and species used for pickled products in Youjiang District, Baise city, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, southern China. Ethnobotanical data were collected in 2025 through field surveys conducted in traditional markets, local households, and local restaurants. Semi-structured interviews, informal conversations, and participant observation were carried out with 40 informants selected using snowball sampling to capture practical knowledge related to culinary use, fermentation, and trade. The cultural importance of recorded species was evaluated using the Use Value (UV) index. A total of 68 plant taxa belonging to 55 genera and 27 families were documented. Zingiberaceae and Apiaceae were the most species-rich families, with native and introduced species nearly equally represented. Herbs dominated the recorded growth forms, while fruits, leaves, and roots were the most frequently used plant parts. Dried use was the predominant form, followed by fresh use and pickled products. Sixty species were used as spices and 13 species as pickled vegetables, with several taxa exhibiting multifunctional use. Species with the highest UVs, including Allium sativum, A. cepa, A. fistulosum, and Houttuynia cordata, were characterized by frequent daily use. These findings highlight the role of ethnobotanical knowledge in sustaining culturally embedded and resilient urban food systems.