Ethnobotanical Studies of Professor Afolayan Wildlife Park, Ondo State, Nigeria: A Rich Resource for medicinal plants against common ailments Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Ethnobotanical study of Professor Afolayan Wildlife Park was carried out to identify and document medicinal plants and their uses. Medicinal plants have been observed to be very effective in the treatment of ailments that defy orthodox medicine. In this study, common plants used were classified based on their families, parts used and the medicinal uses. Some of the plant families were briefly discussed and the plants local names provided. According to field survey, 40 plants were identified consisting of 20 families in the Park. The dominant families were Leguminosae (15.0%) and Sterculiaceae (12.5%) while the least dominant families include Caricaceae, Meliaceae, Loganiaceae, Poaceae and Verbenaceae. The medicinal uses of the plants varied, and the commonly used plant parts are leaves, bark, seeds, fruits and the whole plant which are used to treat ailments like malaria, stomach aches and diarrhoea. This study shows the high medicinal potentials of Professor Afolayan Wildlife Park, therefore the need for sustainable use and conservation of the Park.