A Study on the Distribution and Influencing Factors of the Origin of Plant Herbs in Compendium of Materia Medica

Abstract

This paper counts the origin of plant herbs recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica (hereinafter referred to as Compendium), and intends to reveal the geographical distribution features of plant herbs in the Ming Dynasty and the factors that led to its establishment. We provide reference and basis for finding suitable producing areas of plant herbs. Using excel table, we entered and counted the origin of plant herbs. ArcGIS software was used to mark the frequency results of the statistical origin on the map to present the origin distribution results. Maximum Entropy Model (MAXENT) was used to predict the different effects of natural environmental factors on the growth period of Evodiae fructus. In the Ming Dynasty, the number and variety of plant herbs produced increased compared to the previous dynasties, and the geographic scope of the origin dispersion also expanded. The dominant environmental factors play a decisive role in the quantity and quality of plant herbs produced, nevertheless, economic, demographic, political, and other human factors also have an impact on the actual situation of plant herbs grown. It can provide a reference for the division of acceptable herbal origin when the MAXENT prediction findings and the historical origin are combined.