Important Crops of East Asia
and Central Asia in Reference to Archaeologically Recovered Species and
Those Mentioned in Ancient Texts:
A list of Latin/Botanical Species
Names within Families and English Common Names
--Plant names and family names change
more often than you think!
Please check against other sources when using the species found here--
* indicates present in the Washington
University Paleoethnobotany Comparative Collection
Asian Plant Species
Actinidiaceae
|
Actinidia rufa Planch.
|
silver vine/ tara vine |
|
|
Actinidia sp.
|
|
|
Back to top.
Alismataceae
|
Sagittaria sagittifolia
|
arrowhead |
|
Back to top.
Amarantaceae
|
Allium cepa L.
|
|
* |
|
Allium fistulosum L.
|
welsh onion |
|
|
Allium monthum
|
wild leek/onion |
|
|
Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengel (A. odorum)
|
chinese chive |
|
|
Amaranthus mangostanus
|
amaranth |
|
|
Amaranthus sp.
|
|
|
|
Amaranthus tricolor
|
|
* |
|
Amaryllidaceae/Liliaceae
|
|
|
Back to top.
Anacardiaceae
|
Apiaceae/Umbelliferae
|
|
|
|
Areca catechu
|
betel palm |
|
|
Arecaceae/Palmae
|
|
|
|
Cryptotaenia canadensis var. japonica
|
honewort |
|
|
Livistona chinensis
|
chinese fan palm |
* |
|
Oenathe javanica
|
water dropwort |
|
|
Rhus sp.
|
sumac |
|
|
Rhus vernicifera
|
lacquer tree |
|
|
Torilis japonica
|
japanese hedge parsely |
|
Back to top.
Araceae
|
Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott
|
taro/poi ( rhizome) |
|
Back to top.
Araliaceae
|
Aralia chinensis L.
|
Chinese angelica tree |
* |
|
Aralia cordata
|
udo |
|
|
Aralia sp.
|
|
|
Back to top.
Asteraceae
|
Arctium lappa
|
great burdock |
|
|
Carthamus tinctorius (L.)
|
safflower |
* |
|
Petasites japonicus
|
Japanese Butterbur, Fuki |
|
|
Xanthium strumarium
|
common cocklebur |
* |
|
Youngia denticulata (Houtt.) Kitam. (Lactuca deticulata)
|
wild lettuce |
|
Back to top.
Betulaceae
|
Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis
|
chinese cabbage |
* |
|
Brassica campestris ssp. nipposinica
|
Indian mustard |
|
|
Brassica campestris ssp. pekinensis
|
chinese cabbage |
* |
|
Brassica juncea
|
leaf mustard |
* |
|
Brassica napus (L.)
|
rape/canola |
* |
|
Brassica napus ssp. oleifera (L.)
|
oil-seed rape |
|
|
Brassica rapa
|
turnip |
* |
|
Brassicaceae- this family is notorious for the number of
synomyoums in use
|
|
|
|
Corylus castanopsis
|
hazelnut |
|
|
Corylus heterophylla
|
hazelnut |
|
|
Corylus sieboldiana
|
hazelnut |
|
|
Nasturtium indicum. DC
|
Indian Cress |
|
|
Ostrya japonica Sargent
|
japanese hop hornbeam |
|
|
Raphanus sativus
|
daikon raddish |
* |
Back to top.
Burseraceae
|
Brasenia schreberi JF Gmel.
|
watershield |
|
|
Cabombaceae/ Nymphaeaceae
|
|
|
|
Canarium album (Lour.) Raeusch
|
chinese olive |
|
|
Canarium pimela
|
chinese olive |
|
Back to top.
Cannabaceae
|
Cannabis ruderalis
|
sub species? hemp |
|
|
Cannabis sativa ssp. indica (L.) lam. Small&Cronq.
|
hemp-C Asia |
|
|
Cannabis sativa ssp.sativa
|
hemp-C and W Asia |
|
|
Humulus japonicus Siebold& Zucc.
|
Japonese hops |
|
|
Humulus lupulus
|
hops |
|
Back to top.
Caprifoliaceae
|
Chenopodiaceae (not present until ca 1600s in the Old
World)
|
|
|
|
Chenopodium album
|
goosefoot/lambsquaters |
* |
|
Sambucus sieboldiana
|
Japanese elderberrry |
|
|
Sambucus sp.
|
elderberry |
* |
Back to top.
Commelinaceae
|
Commelina communis L.
|
Asiatic dayflower |
* |
Back to top.
Convolvulaceae
|
Ipomoea aquatica Forsskal
|
water spinach |
|
Back to top.
Cornaceae
Back to top.
Cucurbitacea
|
Cucumis melo
|
melon |
* |
|
Lagenaria siceraria ssp. asiatica (Molina) Standley
|
bottle gourd-americas? |
* |
|
Lagenaria siceraria ssp. siceriaria (Molina) Standley
|
bottle gourd-africa? |
* |
Back to top.
Cyperaceae
|
Eleocharis dulcis (Burm.f.) Hensch. var. tuberosa (Roxb.)
T. Koyama
|
water chestnut (rhizome) |
|
|
Scirpus juncoides
|
rush |
|
|
Scirpus juncoides var. ohwianus
|
rush, rice paddy weed |
|
Back to top.
Dioscoreaceae
|
Dioscorea batatas Decne. (D. opposita)
|
chinese yam (rhizome) |
|
Back to top.
Ebenacea
|
Diospyros kaki
|
persimmon |
|
|
Diospyros kaki var. sylvestris
|
wild persimmon |
|
|
Diospyros lotus
|
small persimmon |
|
Back to top.
Empetraceae
|
Empetrum nigrum
|
crowberry/curlewberry |
|
Back to top.
Euphorbiaceae
|
Aleurites fordii
|
Tung-oil trees |
|
|
Aleurites montana (Lour.) P. Wilson
|
Tung-oil trees/Indian walnut |
|
|
Crotolaria sp.
|
rattlebox |
* |
|
Fabaceae/Leguminosea
|
|
|
|
G. soya
|
wild annual |
|
|
Glycine max (L.) Merr.
|
soy bean |
* |
|
Glycine max forma gracilis
|
weed/hybrid soy bean |
|
|
Glycine soja
|
wild ancestor? soy bean |
|
|
Glycine ussuriensis (old name?)
|
wild ancestor? soy bean |
|
|
Mallotus japonicus Muell. Arg.
|
|
|
|
Phyllanthus urinary
|
Chamberbitter, leafflower |
|
|
Pisum sativum
|
pea common |
|
|
Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. var. lobata (Willd.) Maesen
& S. Almeida
|
kudzu( fiber) |
|
|
Sapium sebiferum, (L.) Roxb.
|
Chinese tallow tree |
|
|
Tribe Phaseoleae
|
|
|
|
Tribe Vicieae
|
|
|
|
Vicia sp.
|
vetch |
* |
|
Vigna acontifolia (Jacq.) Marechal
|
moth bean-India |
* |
|
Vigna angularis var. nipponensis
|
wild ancestor adzuki |
|
|
Vigna angularis var.angularis (Willd.) Ohwi&Ohashi
|
Adzuki bean-japan |
* |
|
Vigna mungo
|
black gram/urd |
* |
|
Vigna nakashimae
|
wild adzuki |
|
|
Vigna radiatus var. radiatus
|
|
* |
|
Vigna radiatus var. sublobata
|
wild ancestor gram and mung |
|
|
Vigna umbellata(thunb.) Ohwi&Ohashi
|
rice bean |
|
|
or Vigna radiata var. radiata
|
mung bean |
|
Back to top.
Fagaceae
|
C. cuspidate var. sieboldii
|
berangan, chinquapin, chinkapin |
|
|
Castanea crenata
|
|
|
|
Castanea mollissima
|
chestnut |
* |
|
Castanopsis cuspidata (Thunb.) Schottky ( Lithocarpus
cuspidata)
|
|
|
|
Corydalis ambigua Cham.&Schldl.
|
|
|
|
Fumariaceae/Papaveraceae
|
|
|
|
Persea thunbergii
|
|
|
|
Querus aliena
|
|
|
|
Querus dentata
|
|
|
|
Querus glauca
|
|
|
|
Querus sp.
|
|
|
|
Querus variabilis
|
acorn |
|
Back to top.
Ginkgoaceae
Back to top.
Hippocastanaceae
|
Aesculus sp.
|
buckeye |
|
|
Aesculus trubinata
|
|
|
Back to top.
Juglandaceae
|
Juglans ailanathifolia
|
walnut |
|
|
Juglans mandshurica
|
|
* |
Back to top.
Juncaceae
Back to top.
Labiatea
|
Perilla frutescens var. crispa
|
beefsteak plant |
|
|
Perilla frutescens var. japonica
|
egoma |
|
Back to top.
Lauraceae
|
Cinnamomum cassia
|
chinese cinnamon |
|
Back to top.
Liliaceae
|
Cardiocrinum cordatum
|
lily (resticted to Japan) |
|
|
Hemerocallis fulva (L.) L.
|
day lily |
|
|
Lilium brownii var.viridulum
|
bublus lily/sweet lily |
|
Back to top.
Linaceae
Back to top.
Malvaceae
|
Abutilon avicennae
|
chinese jute |
|
|
Malva verticillata
|
mallow |
|
Back to top.
Moraceae
|
Broussonetia papyrifera
|
paper mulberry/lacquer tree |
|
|
Ficus carica L.
|
common fig |
|
|
Ficus lacor Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don
|
|
|
|
Morus alba L.
|
white mulberry |
* |
|
Morus alba var. multicaulis
|
white mulberry domesticated |
* |
|
Morus australis
|
Korean mulberry |
|
|
Morus laevigata
|
Himalayan mulberry |
|
|
Morus nigra L.
|
black mulberry |
|
|
Morus rubra
|
red mulberry |
* |
Back to top.
Musaceae
|
Musa acuminata
|
|
|
|
Musa balbisiana
|
banana |
|
Back to top.
Myricaceae
|
Myrica rubra
|
japanese bayberry |
|
|
Myrica rubra var. sylvestris
|
wild japanese bayberry |
|
|
Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.
|
Lotus (seed and rhizome) |
* |
|
Nelumbonaceae/Nymphaeaceae
|
|
|
Back to top.
Nymphaeaceae
Back to top.
Oxalidaceae
|
Oxalis oxalis
|
false shamrock |
|
Back to top.
Paniceae
|
Agropyron sp.
|
wheat grass |
* |
|
Coix lachryma-jobi
|
Job's tears |
* |
|
Echinochloa colona ssp. frumentacea
|
barnyard grass (weed)-India |
|
|
Echinochloa crus-galli var. crus-galli
|
dryland barnyard grass(weed) |
* |
|
Echinochloa crus-galli var. oryzicola
|
wet barnyard grass(weed) |
|
|
Echinochloa crus-galli var.utilis or E.utilis
|
barnyard millet |
* |
|
Elymus sp.
|
Rye grass |
* |
|
Hordeum murinum
|
barley ? |
|
|
Hordeum vulgare ssp. humile
|
barley Chinese |
|
|
Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum (H. spontaneum)
|
|
* |
|
Hordeum vulgare(H. Sativum)
|
barley |
* |
|
Note: although the 2 rice vareties have been demonstrated
to be genetically distinct species, the seeds are not morphologically
distinctive until more modern times.
|
|
|
|
Oryza meyeriana
|
wild rice(not rel. domes.) |
|
|
Oryza nivara
|
wild ancestor rice annual |
|
|
Oryza officialis
|
medical rice (not rel. domes.) |
|
|
Oryza rufipogon(O.sativa ssp. japonica)
|
wild ancestor rice perrenial |
|
|
Oryza sativa ssp. indica
|
rice (long) |
* |
|
Oryza sativa ssp. japonica (sinica)
|
rice (short) |
* |
|
Panicum miliaceum ssp. miliaceum
|
broom corn proso millet |
* |
|
Panicum miliaceum var. efusum
|
non-gluntinous |
|
|
Panicum miliaceum var. glutinosum
|
gluntinous |
|
|
Panicum spontaneum
|
weedy millet |
|
|
Panicum sumatrense
|
little millet-India |
|
|
Phragmites communis
|
|
* |
|
Phragmites sp.
|
reed |
|
|
Phyllostachys bambusoides (Ph. reticulata)
|
bamboo (shoots eaten) |
|
|
Phyllostachys pubescens (Ph. mitis, Ph.heterocycla)
|
bamboo (shoots eaten) |
|
|
Saccharum officinarum L.
|
sugar cane |
|
|
Saccharum sp.
|
Sugar cane |
|
|
Saccharum spontaneum
|
"wild" sugar cane |
* |
|
Sasa sp.
|
bamboo grass |
|
|
Setaria italica ssp. glauca
|
foxtail weed |
* |
|
Setaria italica ssp. italica
|
foxtail millet |
* |
|
Setaria italica ssp.virdis
|
foxtail weed |
* |
|
Setaria pumila
|
|
* |
|
Sinocalamus affinis
|
bamboo |
|
|
Sorghum bicolour
|
sorghum |
* |
|
Triticum aestivum
|
wheat |
* |
|
Triticum aestivum ssp. compactum
|
club wheat |
|
|
Triticum aestivum ssp.sphaerococcum
|
Indian dwarf wheat |
|
|
Zizania latifolia (Griseb.) Turcz. ex Stapf
|
Manchurian wild rice |
|
Back to top.
Pinaceae
Back to top.
Piperaceae
|
Piper betle
|
betel nut |
|
|
Poaceae/Gramineae
|
|
|
Back to top.
Polygonaceae
|
F. Lineare Sam. K Harldson,
|
|
|
|
F. caudatum
|
|
|
|
F. cymosum Meissn
|
close relative wild species |
|
|
F. esculentum ssp. ancestralis Ohnishi
|
wild ancestral buckwheat |
|
|
F. gilessii Hemsl. Hedb
|
|
|
|
F. gracilipes
|
|
|
|
F. leptododum (adaiels) Hebd.
|
region of domestication |
|
|
F. statice Gross.
|
Other wild species from |
|
|
F. tataricum ssp. tataricum Gaertn.
|
tatary/ bitter buckwheat |
|
|
F. urophyllum Gross.
|
|
|
|
Fagopyrum esculentum
|
common buckwheat |
* |
|
Polygonum cuspidatum
|
|
|
|
Polygonum densiflorum
|
|
* |
|
Polygonum hydropiper (L.)
|
smartweed/water pepper |
|
|
Polygonum lapathifolium
|
|
|
|
Polygonum longisetum
|
|
|
|
Polygonum perfoliatum
|
|
|
|
Polygonum sachalinense
|
all knotweed |
|
|
Polygonum thunbergii
|
|
|
|
Polygonum tinctorium
|
chinese indigo |
|
|
Rumex acetosella
|
|
* |
|
Rumex crispus
|
curly dock |
* |
|
Rumex sp.
|
sheep sorrel |
|
Back to top.
Potamogetonaceae
Back to top.
Ranunculaceae
|
Aconitum sp.
|
Monkshood, wolfbane |
* |
Back to top.
Rhamnaceae
|
Hovenia dulcis
|
raisin tree |
|
|
Zizyphus jujuba Mill.
|
jujube/chinese date |
* |
|
Zizyphus maratiana
|
jujube-India |
|
|
Zizyphus spinosa
|
jujube/chinese date spiny shrub |
|
Back to top.
Rosaceae
|
Crataegus pinnatifida
|
Chinese hawthorn |
|
|
Crataegus pinnatifida var.major
|
Large hawthorn |
|
|
Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl
|
loquat/ japanese plum |
|
|
Malus asiatica
|
chinese apple |
|
|
Malus spectabilis Borckh.
|
chinese crabapple |
* |
|
Prunus armeniaca
|
apricot |
|
|
Prunus davidiana
|
ancestor/wild peach |
|
|
Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc
|
japanese apricot |
|
|
Prunus persica
|
peach |
* |
|
Prunus pseudocerasus
|
chinese cherry |
|
|
Prunus salicina Lindl.
|
Japonese plum |
|
|
Pseudocydonia sinensis (Chaenoides sp)
|
false quince |
|
|
Pyrus bretschneideri
|
white pear |
|
|
Pyrus communis
|
pear |
|
|
Pyrus serotina
|
sand pear |
|
|
Rubus sp.
|
bramble(raspberry,blackberry) |
* |
Back to top.
Rubiaceae
|
Galium sp.
|
bedstraw group |
* |
|
Rubia cordifolia
|
Indian madder |
* |
|
Rubia tintorum
|
Madder |
* |
Back to top.
Rutaceae
|
Citrus aurantium
|
sour orange |
|
|
Citrus grandis
|
grapefruit |
|
|
Citrus limon
|
lemon |
|
|
Citrus reticulata
|
mandarin orange/tangerine |
|
|
Citrus sinensis
|
sweet orange |
|
|
Fortunella crassifolia
|
kumquat |
|
|
Phellodendron amurense
|
Amur corktree |
|
|
Zanthoxylem piperitum
|
Prickly ash |
|
|
Zanthoxylum acanthopodium
|
Indonesian lemon pepper |
|
|
Zanthoxylum simulans Hance (Z. bugei)
|
Szuehan pepper |
|
Back to top.
Sapindaceae
|
Aesculus hippocastanum (frm Hippocastanaceae
|
horse chestnut |
|
|
Dimocarpus longan Lour.
|
longan |
|
|
Litchi chinensis
|
lychee |
|
Back to top.
Solanaceae
|
Physalis alkekengi L.
|
winter cherry/cape gooseberry |
|
|
Physalis sp.
|
|
|
|
Solanum nigrum
|
black nightshade |
* |
Back to top.
Styracaceae
|
Styrax japonica
|
japanese snowbell |
|
Back to top.
Taxaceae
|
Torreya nucifera Sieb. & Zucc.
|
Kaya/fei |
|
Back to top.
Theaceae
|
Camellia oleifera Abel var. confusa (Craib) Sealy
|
tea-oil tree |
|
|
Camellia sinensis var. sinensis
|
tea |
|
|
Camellia sinensis var.assamica
|
thin leaf tea |
|
Back to top.
Trapaceae
|
Trapa bicornis
|
water-caltrop/ chestnut |
|
|
Trapa natans
|
water-caltrop/ chestnut |
|
Back to top.
Typhaceae
|
Typha latifolia L.
|
cattail |
* |
Back to top.
Ulmaceae
|
Celtis sp. (austalis)
|
hackberry |
* |
Back to top.
Umbelliferae
|
Angelica japonica ( A. kiusiana)
|
|
|
Back to top.
Urticaceae
|
Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaud.
|
False nettle/chinese grass |
* |
Back to top.
Verbenaceae
|
Clerodendron trichotomum Thunb.
|
harlequin glorybower |
|
Back to top.
Violaceae
Back to top.
Vitaceae
Back to top.
Zingiberaceae
|
Zingiber mioga (Thunb.) Roscoe
|
Japanese ginger |
|
|
Zingiber officinale
|
common ginger |
|
Back to top.
Note: All plants listed
have been found in archaeological contexts, are
mentioned in “archaeological” or ancient texts, or are weedy and/or
wild
varieties related to species or varieties already mentioned. This list
focuses on economic asian plants. For environmental or regional
botanical surveys please explore some of the other plant databases on
my links
page.
Back
to top
Sources:
Note for all sources the botanical names have been checked with current
sources and in some cases replaced with current names. Links for
more resources
Chang, T. T.
1983 The Origins and early Cultures of the Cereal
Grains and Food Legumes. In The Origins of Chinese Civilization, edited
by D. N. Keightley. pp. 65-94. University of California Press, Berkeley.
Crawford, G. W.
1992a The Transitions to Agriculture in Japan. In
Transitions to Agriculture in Prehistory, edited by A.B. Gebauer and T.
D. Price. Pp. 117-132. Monographs in World Archaeology. Prehistory
Press, Madison.
1992b Prehistoric Plant Domestication in East Asia.
In The Origins of Agriculture: An International Perspective, edited by
C.W. Cowan and P. J. Watson. Pp. 7-38. Smithsonian Institution Press,
Washington.
1997 Anthropogenesis in Prehistoric Northeastern
Japan. In People, Plants, and Landscapes: Studies in Paleoethnobotany.
Edited by K. J. Gremillion. University of Alabama Press, Tuscaloosa
2002 Editorial. Antiquity 76: 287-310.
Crawford, G. W. and H. Takamiya
1990 The Origins and Implications of Late Prehistoric
Plant Husbandry in Northern Japan. Antiquity 64:889-911
Crawford, G. W and M. Yoshizaki
1987 Ainu Ancestors and Prehistoric Asian
Agriculture. Journal of Archaeological Science 14: 201-213.
D’Andrea, A. C.
1995 Later Jomon Subsistence in Northeastern Japan:
New Evidence from Palaeoethnobotanical Studies. Asian Perspectives
34(2): 195-227
D’Andrea, A.C., G.W. Crawford, M.
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