The discovery of Capparis spinosa L. (Capparidaceae) in the Yanghai Tombs (2800 years b.p.), NW China, and its medicinal implications.
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.
Jiang
Hong-En
HE
State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 20 Lin xin cun, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China.
Li
Xiao
X
Ferguson
David K
DK
Wang
Yu-Fei
YF
Liu
Chang-Jiang
CJ
Li
Cheng-Sen
CS
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