Ethnobotanical overview of gogd (Allium ramosum L.): A traditional edible wild plant used by inner Mongolians

5 Pages·1999·2.6 MB·English

by  Kevin Stuart

Journal of Ethnobiology
221-225
19(2):
Winter
ETHNOBOTANICAL
OVERVIEW GOGD
OF
ramosum
{Allium
A
TRADITIONAL
EDIBLE WILD PLANT USED
BY INNER
L.):
MONGOLIANS
KHASBAGAN
Department Kunming
of Ethnobiology, Institute of Botany, the C
Kunming,
of Sciences 650204, the People's Republic
of
NARISU
Department Renewable Wyoming,
Resources, University
of
of
USA
Wyoming
Laramie, 82071,
KEVIN STUART
Qinghai Education Xining, Qinghai
College,
810008, Republic China
the People's
of
ABSTRACT-
Plants have figured prominently in Mongols' food and The
shelter.
and oigogd ramosum
traditional collecting, processing preservation (Allium L.) as
Mongol way
a The
food are recorded. authors present the of preparation of the
leaves and inflorescence of the plant as a dish or condiment and suggest efficient
means
and
for conservation utilization.
its
Key Mongol
words: gogd, Allium ramosum edible plant, food, utilization
L.,
RESUMO um
- desempenharam papel proeminente nas dietas e abrigos
Plantas
dos Mongols. Sao registrados a colheita, o processamento e a preserva^ao
degogd ramosum como uma comida Mongolica. Os autores
tradicionais (Allium
L.)
mostram a maneira de preparagao das folhas e inflorescencias desta planta para
um
um
ser prato ou condimento e eles sugerem meios eficientes para a sua
preservagao
e utiliza^ao.
RESUMfi - frequemment dans nourriture dans Tabri
Les plantes figurent la et
des Mongols. Les methodes traditionnelles de la collection, preparation et
comme Mongole
du gogd ramosum une nourriture sont
preservation (Allium L.)
decrites. Les auteurs presentent la voie de preparation des feuilles et des
comme un ou condiment, proposent aussi
inflorescences de plante plat lis
cette
une methode de conservation de Tusaee de cette plante.
efficace et
la
INTRODUCTION
Mongols have been nomadic herders on the Mongolian Plateau grassland for
Republic
At Mongols are distributed in Mongolia, the People's
centuries. present,
Uighur Au-
of China Mongolia Autonomous Region, Qinghai, Xingjiang
(Inner
Russia (Buryatia
tonomous and Heilongjiang provinces),
Region, Liaoning,
Jilin
and Kazakhstan Republic
Autonomous Within Russian Federation),
Republic
such
Commonwealth Independent Various factors, as loss of
(within of States).
KASBAGAN
No. 2
Vol. 19,
222 et al.
prime grassland to agriculture, have led some Mongols to adopt agriculture, al-
many Khasbagan and Yumzab have
though continue to raise livestock. (1988)
Mongol botanical culture and usage of wild plants. These
discussed traditional
Mongols have had with
authors argue that the intimate relationship traditionally
them
environment led to utilize natural resources rationally.
their
Allium ramosiim L. similar to cultivated chive {A. tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng.).
is
However, A.ramosum has hoUower, and narrower leaves that are pointed
longer,
the end, and a perianth lobe with a red middle vein, while A. tuberosum has flat,
at
them
solid leaves, and a perianth lobe with a green middle vein, distinguishing
Asia (Shan
from each Cultivated chive originated in the eastern part of 1994),
other.
and
ramosum widely northern China, Mongolia, Russia
while A. distributed in
is
(Uljihutag 1985; Shan 1994; Yuquan 1994). Allium ramosum, also called kheringogd,
common
mean
and gogd and Mongolian), a
zherlig {kherin zherlig 'wild' in
is
edible wild plant traditionally used by Mongols. In the thirteenth century Secret
(Anonymous was gogosum and
History the Mongols 1240), the plant recorded as
of
reported as being eaten by Temujin (name of Chinggis Khan) and his family
(Khasbagan 1996). Lobsangchuiden (1918) called the plant ^o^osw and reported it
Mongol
by Mongols
as "a plant used as food for a long time" in the Records
of
Customs, Yunatov noted that "the plant used as food by herdsmen." The
(1958)
is
word gogd horn gogosum and Ardezab Mongolia,
derives (Eldentai In Inner
1986).
our identification of collected specimens demonstrates that the plant referred to
by locals as gogd A. ramosum. Gogosu could have been another synonym, al-
is
we
though have not found any reference dealing with
it.
The two
authors' investigations indicate that the plant remains a source
first
of food in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region grassland area. Unfortunately,
no systematic study of the plant's collection, processing, and preservation has been
From
found
in the literature. 1986 to 1996, the author carried out investiga-
first
A
tions in herding areas of the Iimer Mongolia Autonomous Region. number of
Mongolian herdsmen, Buddhism, most them
peasants, \amas (practitioners of of
are also medical practitioners), and physicians were interviewed and specimens
were two Mon-
of the plant collected. Additionally, the first authors were born in
how
and
gol grassland areas are personally familiar with the plant used in their
is
home
During
area. the course of research, twenty specimens were collected from
and housed Department Mongolia
different areas, identified, at the of Biology, Iimer
Teachers' University.
MONGOL
FOOD
CULTURE
mid
In the 9^*^ century, Mongols began engage nomadic herding (Dujian
to in
At
1985). present in Inner Mongolia, the geographic areas where Mongols reside
can be grouped into herding areas, herding-farming and farming Major
areas, areas.
traditional food sources have been meat, milk, and milk by-products. Although
these traditional food sources continue be important two grains
to in the areas,
first
such Panicum
as miliaceum L. var. eftusum Alef. have become an important source
of food as well. While Mongols in the farming and herding-farming areas (most of
them own
in eastern Inner Mongolia) have gardens grow such
their to vegetables,
Winter JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY
1999
223
many
and
as onions, cabbages potatoes, Mongols in the herding and herding-farm-
ing areas do not have access to gardens in order to grow vegetables family
for
consumption, because nomadic semi-nomadic
of or herding
practices. Individu-
als in these two areas get most of their fresh vegetables from banner
a
(administrative unit similar to a county) town. In these areas, some wild plants
became we
important
vegetable sources. For past ten years, have identified twenty
species of wild plants used as vegetables in Inner Mongolia (unpublished
data),
twenty
species of wild plants used as tea (Khasbagan 1990), and fifteen species of
wild plants used (Khasbagan
for their edible fruits 1995).
AND GOGD
COLLECTION, USAGE OF
PROCESSING,
Collection- Collecting ^o^ff a part of everyday during the growing season of
is life
Gogd when cm
a year. collected about ten and the peak time for har-
is it is tall,
May
vesting through The above-ground parts, consisting primarily of leaves,
is July.
are picked by women, elders, and children near residential areas, or by men trav-
eling on horseback or animal-drawn carts to distant places in order to collect large
amounts oigogd and
to 5 kg, fresh weight) for preservation future use. also
(4 It is
common
for individuals during the course of traveling on foot and doing outdoor
work, such as herding livestock, to gather the plant daily in order to obtain enough
when
August and
fresh material (around 0.3 kg) for a family meal. In late July, the
which Ap-
plants blossom, people the inflorescence, also called soriz.
collect is
and
proximately one to two kg in fresh weight are usually gathered processed in a
way
similar to that of the leaves.
mam
Processing and Usage- After collection, gogd can be
preserved
One kg gogd commonly mixed with 0.15-0.20 kg of The inflorescence
of salt.
is
md may
and added. The dish be eaten immediately
a similar ratio of salt is
in a container
make
mutton
to
meat more Some Mongols prefer adding Juuhei (liquid that sta
palatable.
yogurt when yogurt made in a container) in the soup. Mongols also serve
is
dumplings
stuffed
customary
en Banner of Ulaanhad League.
common
winter usage also
rvation for is
much sev^ The
and could reach as as kg. process^
lected related to availability
is
and individual fami
according availability
leaves, inflorescences, or mixture, to
amour
and added
in
preferences, are placed in containers for future use, salt
method Kheshigt
seen
dictated by individual preferences. This preservation is in
Banner and Ulaanhad League and the two Ujimchin Banners
Barin Barmer,
Left
Ulaanhad
Barin Banner,
In Left
preserva
few days and called soriz in Left Barin
tion, the dish ready to be eaten in a is
is
Banner
(Ulaanhad served
League).
It is
time.
KASBAGAN
No. 2
Vol. 19,
224 et
al.
may
may Gogd be sun
Fresh gogd be used as a condiment for dishes. also
dried a few days, groimd into a powder, and used as a condiment in winter.
for
and
Soriz may be processed similarly to gogd^ but only the inflorescence is used
Once
then mixed with salt kg inflorescence, 0.1 kg salt, 0.5 kg sour milk). the
(1
may
mixture ground into a pulp, be served as a condiment for other dishes.
is it
amount added sheep blood
Additionally, a small of soriz (about 0.01kg) to in-
is
and cooked sausage.
testines as
DISCUSSION
and
Mongol gogd most (Ulaanhad
a taboo to dig out the roots of in areas
It is
and
Xilingol Leagues). Considerable care therefore taken while collecting leaves
is
damage Mongols
blossoms so as not to the roots. This an example of traditional
is
conservation of wild plants.
Utilization of gogd as a food by Mongols has been restricted to the level of
and popula-
family consumption. Deteriorating grassland conditions increasing
some Mongols
tion pressures are threatening gogd as a resource. Consequently,
are growing wild gogd near their homes. The authors believe that this an impor-
is
tant step toward overcoming a current shortage of wild plant resources.
Of many
special note that Mongols assert that gogd efficacious as a tonic
is is
for stomach ailments. Although there no written information regarding this claim,
is
further work needed to better understand the nutritional and medicinal values
is
oigogd,
as well as possibilities for potential large-scale production.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We
we
Autonomous
interviewed during our investigations in Inner Mongolia Region, the
People's Republic of China.
LITERATURE CITED
ELDENTAI ARDEZAB. KHASBAGAN.
and
Wild plants
1986. 1996. edible
Annotated and recorded History of
Restored Secret History in ''Secret
Land
of Mongols. Inner Mongolia Education Mongols/' lournal of Arid
Press, Huhhot. (In Mongolian). Resources and Environment 10: 87-94.
DUJIAN, A
W.
1985. brief history of (In Chinese).
KHASBAGAN YUMZAB.
Mongols. Inner Mongolia People's and 1988.
Huhhot. Mongolian botanical
Press, (In Chinese). Traditional
KHASBAGAN. A
Mongolia
1990. preliminary study culture. lournal of Inner
Normal
of plants used as Mongolian traditional University (Natural science
Acta Botanica Yunnanica Mongolian).
tea. 12: 43-48. edition) 10: 87-94. (In
LOBSANGCHUIDEN.
Records
(In Chinese). 1918. of
KHASBAGAN.
Mongol Mongolia
1995. Ethnobotanical study Customs. Inner
on wild edible fruits of Mongols in People's Publishing House, Huhhot. (In
Arhorchin Banner, Inner Mongolia,
Mongolian).
China. Journal of Inner Mongolia SHAN, C. 1994. Resources of Forage Plants
Normal
University (Natural science in Chinese Grasslands. Liaoning
edition) 72: 60-63. (In Chinese). Nationality Press, Shenyang. (In
Chinese).
JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY
Winter 1999 225
YUQUAN,
M.
ULJIHUTAG. 1985. Key the Forage Plants 1994. Flora of Inner
to
in Grasslands of Mongolian People's Mongolia, Vol. (2"^ edition). Inner
5,
Republic. National Publishing House, Mongolia People's Publishing House,
Huhhot.
Ulaanbaatar. (In Mongolian). (In Chinese).
YUNATOV,
A. A. 1958. (translated by H.
ZHAOHUA).
Forage Grassland
Plants
Mongolian
of the People's Republic.
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