We will now take a look at few examples, which illustrate the complex utilization patterns of medicinal plants in Indonesia. As a rule, people use specifi c plant species to cure specifi c diseases. In Kampung Gumpang, Aceh (North Sumatra), the Acehnese use pudding hitam (Graptophyllum sp.) to cure eye diseases (sakit mata); besibesi (Justicia gendarussa Burm.f., syn. Gendarussa vulgaris Nees.) for stomachache; and rutih or geceh,devil’s tree, dita bark tree (Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br.) for malaria.However, a particular plant species may also be utilized to cure diff erent diseases within diff erent ethnic communities in diff erent regions of the country. This is true, for example, of alang-alang, lalang, cotton grass (Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.), one of the most widespread grassspecies in Indonesia, which 
is found as high as 3,000m above sea level. Alang-alang grows wild in dry forest, open fields and dry land. The roots of this species are used to cure high blood pressure, fever, cough, and hepatitis. Another example is temu lawak (Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb.), used for a wide variety of different diseases. A third possibility is that diff erent ethnic groups in different geographic areas use different plant species for the same disease. For malaria, people in Aceh use rutih or geceh, while in Bengkulu they usemedang (Beilschmiedia madangBlume), and in East Timor idara laut(Strychnos lucida R.Br.).
This pattern reflects the geographic variability within the same area (Aceh and Bengkulu are both in Sumatra) and on diff erent islands within Indonesia (Sumatra/Timor). And fi nally, people also make use of plant mixtures. For instance, people from Seberida, Province Riau (Sumatra) treat large wounds with a mixture of the bark of loban, wild pepper (Vitex trifolia L.), dukuh, langsat (Lansium domesticum Correa) and rambutan, rambutan (Nephelium lappaceumL.). It will be clear that the greater the geographic distance, the more pronounced the differences will be between the systems of traditional medicines used by the respective communities. However, in some cases different ethnic communities living close to each other maintain distinct traditions and diff erent healing systems.
The most obvious example is the case of ‘modern’ Indonesian ethnic groups such as the Sundanese or Javanese living next to ‘older’ ethnic groups such as the Kubu and Talang Mamak tribes of Sumatra, the Penan of Kalimantan, the Asmat of Irian Jaya, and the Baduy of West Java. But even ethnic groups like the Sundanese of West Java and the Javanese of Central Java use diff erent methods of healing and disease prevention. For liver infections, for instance, the Sundanese eat Curcuma d o m e s t i c a , turmeric, as lalab (salad, fresh vegetable), while the Javanese use boiled dried turmeric to treat the
same ailment.
is found as high as 3,000m above sea level. Alang-alang grows wild in dry forest, open fields and dry land. The roots of this species are used to cure high blood pressure, fever, cough, and hepatitis. Another example is temu lawak (Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb.), used for a wide variety of different diseases. A third possibility is that diff erent ethnic groups in different geographic areas use different plant species for the same disease. For malaria, people in Aceh use rutih or geceh, while in Bengkulu they usemedang (Beilschmiedia madangBlume), and in East Timor idara laut(Strychnos lucida R.Br.).This pattern reflects the geographic variability within the same area (Aceh and Bengkulu are both in Sumatra) and on diff erent islands within Indonesia (Sumatra/Timor). And fi nally, people also make use of plant mixtures. For instance, people from Seberida, Province Riau (Sumatra) treat large wounds with a mixture of the bark of loban, wild pepper (Vitex trifolia L.), dukuh, langsat (Lansium domesticum Correa) and rambutan, rambutan (Nephelium lappaceumL.). It will be clear that the greater the geographic distance, the more pronounced the differences will be between the systems of traditional medicines used by the respective communities. However, in some cases different ethnic communities living close to each other maintain distinct traditions and diff erent healing systems.
The most obvious example is the case of ‘modern’ Indonesian ethnic groups such as the Sundanese or Javanese living next to ‘older’ ethnic groups such as the Kubu and Talang Mamak tribes of Sumatra, the Penan of Kalimantan, the Asmat of Irian Jaya, and the Baduy of West Java. But even ethnic groups like the Sundanese of West Java and the Javanese of Central Java use diff erent methods of healing and disease prevention. For liver infections, for instance, the Sundanese eat Curcuma d o m e s t i c a , turmeric, as lalab (salad, fresh vegetable), while the Javanese use boiled dried turmeric to treat the
same ailment.
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