title: The discovery of Capparis spinosa L. (Capparidaceae) in the Yanghai Tombs (2800 years b.p.), NW China, and its medicinal implications.
abstract: Seed clumps of Capparis spinosa L. together with shoots, leaves and fruits of Cannabis sativa L. were unearthed in the Yanghai Tombs, Turpan District in Xinjiang, China. This is the first time that plant remains of Capparis spinosa have been discovered in China and the eastern part of Central Asia. Based on the joint occurrence of Capparis spinosa and Cannabis sativa, and the pharmacological value of the seeds of Capparis spinosa, it is deduced that caper was utilized for medicinal purposes.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 20 Lin xin cun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China.
authors: Hong-En
authors: HE
authors: Jiang
authors: Xiao
authors: X
authors: Li
authors: David K
authors: DK
authors: Ferguson
authors: Yu-Fei
authors: YF
authors: Wang
authors: Chang-Jiang
authors: CJ
authors: Liu
authors: Cheng-Sen
authors: CS
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D001106:Archaeology; D031484:Capparis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002681:China; D006801:Humans; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012639:Seeds / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000648:ultrastructure