Values of dye plants for local people in West Kalimantan

Abstract

Dye plants are part of important plant usage among local people in West Kalimantan. A study was carried out in five locations in West Kalimantan Province to record species of dye plants known to local people and their values. The valuation of dye plants was conducted by counting the usage percentage or the relative frequency of citation (RFC) which shows the importance of dye plants to the local people and the Important Value Index (IVI) which shows the existence of dye plants. This study recorded 52 species of dye plants known to the local people. The observation showed that the dye plants with the highest RFC were kunyit (Curcuma longa), pandan (Pandanus amaryllifolius), and rengat padi (Indigofera suffruticosa). These species were widely known and used as dye plants by local people. The comparison of RFC and IVI of dye plants was conducted to those in Sungai Utik Hamlet, where the Dayak Iban people live in Menua Customary Forest. In this site, engkerebai kayoh (Psychotria malayana, P. viridiflora) had high values in both RFC and IVI. Rengat padi (Indigofera suffruticosa), beting (Litsea fenestrata), menuang (Octomeles sumatrana), rengat kikat (Clerodendrum disparifolium), pinang (Areca catechu), and tengkawang (Shorea macrophylla) had low RFC but high IVI. Jangau (Aporosa subcaudata), manyam (Glochidion lutescens), bungkang (Syzygium polyanthum), engkerebai laut (Dicliptera tinctoria), engkudu (Morinda citrifolia), jambu melaban (Psidium guajava), and tebelian (Eusideroxylon zwageri) had low value in both RFC and IVI.