Analysis of spatiotemporal patterns of China’s endangered medicinal plant export trade

Medicinal plants constitute an important component of international trade under the auspices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Based on the CITES trade database, this study explored the spatiotemporal patterns of CITES-listed medicinal plant exports from China using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results showed that between 1981 and 2021, China traded 257 species of medicinal plants, with a total volume of 170 million live plants and 100 000 tons of plant derivatives. The Chinese medicinal plant export records were primarily concentrated in Japan (32%), South Korea (10%), and the United States (9%), with a gradual expansion to other countries and regions. Pearson correlation analysis indicated a gradual shift from wild to cultivated medicinal plants following the implementation of CITES trade regulations in China. This study highlights the importance of focusing on live plants as a significant category within the medicinal plant trade, and suggests that specific species, such as Gastrodia elata Blume, Panax quinquefolius L., Cymbidium ensifolium (L.) Sw., and Cymbidium aloifolium (L.) Sw., warrant closer surveillance in trade.