Documenting the most widely utilized plants and the potential threats facing ethnobotanical practices in the Western Hajar Mountains, sultanate of Oman

Abstract

The Sultanate of Oman has a rich human history, stretching back millennia, however little is known about the history of human – plant interactions, particularly within the ancient villages and communities in Oman's northern mountains. An ethnobotanical study to document the most utilized wild plant species in Oman's Western Hajar Mountains (Jabal Shams and Jabal Asarah) and assess the threats facing these species was carried out in 2016. Forty-two wild plant species were recorded. Life forms include, shrubs (25%), trees (22%), large shrubs (15%), grasses (8%), climbing plants (5%) and herbs (5%). Plant uses were divided as follows: medicinal (30%), fuel (14%), fodder (12%), food (9%), honey production (7%), construction (6%), and 4% each for utilitarian, tools, weapons and livestock care. Less than 1% of species were noted for their uses as dyes, perfumes and cosmetics. Twenty-seven plant families were represented; Rhamnaceae had the highest number of uses, followed in order by Fabaceae, Oleaceae, Asteraceae, and Lamiaceae. Wild plants play an important role in local communities in the Western Hajar Mountains. However, traditionally important plants, their uses and the associated traditional knowledge are under increasing threat from rapid socioeconomic development and local climate change patterns – reduced rainfall and increasing summer temperatures.