Exploitation and Utilization of Substituting Tea Plant Resources in Youxi County, Fujian Province
The substituting tea plants in Youxi county, Fujian province, were investigated through a combination method of survey on important wild fields, collecting materials and interviewing. The result showed that there were substituting tea plants 48 species (including varieties) belonging to 57 genera in 32 families. The substituting tea plants with great development and utilization value were Houttuynia cordata, Sarcandra glabra, Reynoutria japonica, Distylium myricoides, Ampelopsis grossedentata, Ginkgo biloba, Imperata cylindrica var. major, Choerospondias axillaris and some species of Lonicera, Ilex. The type of life, the parts of substituting tea, care type, efficacy, the tastes characteristics and the altitude distribution about every species of substituting tea plants were listed. The suggestions about the development and utilization of those plants were put forward.