Biodiversity of Plants Producing Essential Oils in Pu Mat National Park

Dao Thi Minh Chau and  Tran Thi Ngoc Linh

1Faculty of Biology, Vinh University, Le Duan str. 182, Vinh city, Nghe An province, Viet Nam
2Nghe An Biological Resources and Environmental Cente, Vinh city, Nghe An province, VietNam
*Corresponding author: daochau27@gmail.com

Abstract
Essential oils are the most highly valued with a large market demand in groups of Non-timber Forest Products. Pu Mat is considered to be the biggest Special Use Forest in Northern Vietnam.  Core zone accounts for 94.804.4 hectares, and buffer zone accounts for 86.000 hectares, in which 94% of the area is still covered by forest and about 22% are primary forests. In the Pu Mat forest, Non-timber Forest Products have been exploited and trafficked in bulk, most of them are exported to China, including plants which produce essential oils. According to the survey results, there were 125 species that produce essential oils and oleoresins within 88 genuses, 41 families of higher plants in Pu Mat National Park. The most remarkable is that 8 rare and precious species  named in Vietnam Red Book (2007) and IUCN Red List are being overexploited in Pu Mat National Park. This phenomenon causes many species become scarce and that can lead to depletion.

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