Work

Mongolian medicinal plants in China: Distribution, conservation priorities, and phylogenetic insights

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Medicinal plants are vital for primary healthcare and modern drug discovery, but traditional knowledge associated with the use of medicinal plants is declining due to cultural acculturation and biodiversity loss. In China, the Mongol ethnic group maintains a distinct ethnomedicinal system shaped by nomadic culture and mountain-steppe environments, yet the spatial distribution of its commonly used medicinal plants and their representation within National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and National Parks (NPs) remain poorly understood. Here, across the 982 grid cells (100 km × 100 km), we integrated three species-based prioritization algorithms with Faith’s phylogenetic diversity (PD) and its standardized effect size (SES.PD). We further analyzed phylogenetic structure across 20 medicinal use categories using the Net Relatedness Index, Nearest Taxon Index, and D statistic. The three species-based algorithms identified 73 priority grid cells, while the upper 5% of Faith’s PD identified 49 PD hotspots. Their integration produced a network of 79 priority grid cells, comprising 43 integrated core priorities, 30 species-based priorities, and six phylogenetic supplementary priorities. Medicinal plants used for dermatological and digestive disorders exhibited consistent non-random phylogenetic structure, while Saussurea , Swertia , Gentiana , Arisaema , and Astragalus were highlighted by both criteria for candidate genus selection. This integrated spatial-phylogenetic framework can support the conservation of Mongol ethnomedicinal resources and inform knowledge-based drug discovery.

Source: Global Ecology and Conservation

DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04488