ABSTRACT
The people of Southeast Asia have, since prehistory, used a great variety of plants and were the first to domesticate some species now of global importance. In addition to the main staples and cash crops, a large number of plants are still grown in kitchen gardens, collected and transplanted from the wild or casually tended where they volunteer. A survey of plants sold in markets shows the natural floristic richness but also suggests considerable variation in the array of plants offered for sale from place to place. Cultivation of some of their traditional herbs and vegetables by Southeast Asian immigrants in the US has provided a source of income, as well as a supply of familiar foods and flavorings to them as they adapt to their new environment. In the process, it has provided the opportunity to enrich the cuisine of the population at large. However, rapid economic development in Thailand has been coupled with social and environmental change and concern is raised for the preservation of both the genetic diversity of these plants and knowledge of their use.
