Diversity and potential utilization of medicinal plants in Way Kambas National Park

Abstract

The lowland forest area of Section I Way Kanan, Way Kambas National Park, possesses abundant medicinal tree species. This study aims to identify the medicinal tree species and their potential uses. Data collection was carried out by an inventory of all tree species by the belt transect method on a 100 m x 10 m. All plants were sampled for the herbarium, recorded, identified, and then analyzed for their usefulness. Data analysis was carried out to obtain the accuracy of scientific names, using the comparative identification approach, comparing herbarium samples from the field with herbarium specimens from Heyne’s collection at the Forest Botanical Herbarium, Forest Research and Development Center, Bogor. The identification results using herbarium specimens recorded 24 medicinal tree species of the 20 genera and 20 families. Based on Heyne’s Herbarium collection, 13 tree species of the 11 genera and 11 families possess the potential for medicinal and food. Among these species, the community still uses medicinal trees, such as Artocarpus elasticus, Baccaurea bracteata, Bouea oppositifolia and Cinnamomum iners. In general, people use medicinal plants when a family member is sick or used as tonics and supplements to maintain endurance.