Importance Of Culture Research Articles

Ethnoveterinary treatment of livestock in Ghana: Cultural importance and consensus on plants used

The traditional free-range system of livestock rearing contributes to the socioeconomic well-being of most rural households in Ghana. The traditional management system exposes livestock to a high disease incidence, but healthcare support for animal production is limited. Ethnoveterinary practice is an integral part of livestock treatment, particularly in rural communities where veterinary services are poor. However, documentation of the plants used for ethnoveterinary treatment of livestock is scant in the country. Given the dearth of information on ethnoveterinary treatment, this study aimed to document the cultural significance and level of agreement of plant species used for treating livestock ailments in the Adaklu district. Ethnoveterinary data were collected from 120 respondents using semi-structured questionnaires. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices were used to ascertain the most culturally significant plant species for livestock healing. It was found that 38 plant species were used to treat various livestock ailments. Ethnobotanical indices revealed that Mangifera indica, Elaeis guineensis, Khaya senegalensis, Spondias mombin, and Physalis peruviana were the most culturally significant plant species for treating livestock ailments. Mangifera indica was found to be the most versatile species for treating livestock ailments and had the highest cultural importance (CI). This study reveals the high cultural importance of plants in the Adaklu district to improve livestock healthcare. The perceived efficacy influences the selection and utilization of a resource for folk medicine. The study recommends isolating and characterizing the active compounds in the most culturally significant plants and testing the properties on the medical conditions attributed to these plants.

Harmony in nature: understanding the cultural and ecological aspects of plant use in Ladakh

BackgroundTraditional knowledge (TK) in Ladakh encapsulates a repository of experimental wisdom cultivated over millennia. Despite this cultural wealth, dwindling interest among the younger generations in the region’s age-old practices underscores the urgency to document TK. The current study investigates the diverse usage of plants in Surru, Wakha and Lower Indus valleys of Western Ladakh exploring the influence of socioeconomic and ecological factors.MethodsA stratified random sample approach was adopted to select 540 respondents for gathering information of useful plants through interviews and questionnaires. Participant observation, questionnaires, open-ended and semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection. Free listing was done to create an extensive list of plants and their uses. Ethnobotanical metrics such as relative frequency of citation (RFC), relative importance index (RI), cultural value (CV) index and cultural importance (CI) index were computed to assess species applicability. Additionally, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was utilized to discern significant differences in knowledge levels based on valleys, gender, education and religion using TK as a response variable.ResultsAltogether, we recorded 246 plant species under various ethnobotanical uses from Western Ladakh. These include medicinal (126), fodder (124), wild ornamentals (86), food (81), fuel wood (54), dye (20), religious (31) and others (34). Novel plant reports include Berberis brandisiana Ahrendt and Dactylorhiza kafiriana Renz. The dominant plant family is Asteraceae with 35 species. Suru valley exhibits the highest number of cited plants followed by Wakha-chu and Lower Indus valleys (192, 168 and 152 species, respectively).ConclusionDisparities in plant use understanding are evident among different groups, prompting further investigation through intercultural comparisons. Plants such as Arnebia euchroma, Juniperus semiglobosa, and Artemisia species emerge with cultural importance. Gender, valley affiliation, religious background and the remoteness of a village all influence local plant knowledge. These variations are linked to socioeconomic disparities among communities.

Long-Term Monitoring of the Traditional Knowledge of Plant Species Used for Culinary Purposes in the Valencia Region, South-Eastern Spain.

The aim of this study is to inventory and study ethnobotanical knowledge of edible plants in the Valencian Community (Spain). In respect to culinary uses, 92 species of plant were reported to be edible, finding the following uses: 58 raw, 52 cooked, 16 fried, 7 dried, 21 in liquors and beverages, 25 in dessert and sweets, 11 as seasoning, 17 in pickles, and 10 to curdle milk. We prepared a database that includes genus, family, scientific, and vernacular names in Spanish and Catalan for each plant. We also created a classification of nine edible uses and plant parts used, being Asteraceae (n = 18), Brassicaceae (n = 7), Chenopodiaceae (n = 6), and Rosaceae (n = 6) the families most characterized for gastronomic purposes. The species with the most elevated cultural importance (CI) values were Foeniculum vulgare (CI = 1.389), Cynara scolymus (CI = 1.374), Papaver rhoeas (CI = 1.211), Beta vulgaris (CI = 1.167), and Juglans regia (CI = 1.155). The most used parts were the leaves (71), flowers (25), and branches (19), while the least used were roots (9) and seeds (8). Traditional knowledge of these plants helps to preserve traditional cuisine, promote the local economy and, in several species, encourage their cultivation.

Cultural importance, availability and conservation status of Spanish wild medicinal plants: Implications for sustainability

AbstractThe harvest of wild plants with medicinal uses is increasing globally, both for self‐treatment and as a source of income. The increasing demand for these remedies could lead to the over‐harvest of some species. Despite a recent surge in the number of studies analysing wild medicinal plants management, little is known about the effects of non‐commercial harvesting on the conservation status of medicinal plants.We explore the connection between the cultural importance (CI) of medicinal vascular plants traditionally used in Spain for self‐treatment and their availability, conservation and legal protection status, and discuss the implications of our results for sustainability. We focus on Spain, located in one of the world's 25 biodiversity hotspots and the most diverse country in Europe regarding vascular plants (7071 species, 1357 endemic), while also being culturally and linguistically diverse.Spain has a rich body of traditional knowledge referring to wild medicinal plants, with 1376 species with medicinal uses, which represents nearly a fourth (22%) of the total autochthonous vascular flora of the country (16% endemic). Species CI is positively correlated with abundance (ρ = 0.466) and occupancy area (ρ = 0.495). Only 8% of the wild medicinal plants traditionally used in Spain have an endangered conservation status and just 6% are fully or largely affected by protection measures. Most species used for self‐treatment in Spain are common, highly available and not threatened. This suggests that domestic use alone does not result in overexploitation and that traditional knowledge systems of plant management might ensure their sustainability.Read the freePlain Language Summaryfor this article on the Journal blog.

Ethnobotanical applications of Spathodea campanulata P. Beauv. (Bignoniaceae) (African tulip tree) in Ghana

Background: Spathodea campanulata P. Beauv. (Bignoniaceae) is documented to have ethnobotanical potential worldwide, but knowledge about this useful tree to local communities is limited in Ghana. This study was aimed at evaluation of ethnobotanical knowledge of the utilization of S. campanulata among the local population in Ghana. Methods: Data was collected through a semi-structured interviews with 193 participants in the Adaklu District of the Volta Region of Ghana. Ethnobotanical indices were used to quantitatively determine the most culturally important S. campanulata plant parts using the ethnobotanyR package. Results: A total of 25 applications grouped into six use categories from seven S. campanulata parts were observed in this study. The primary use category was material, followed by fuel, medicine, environmental, food additive, and food. Anemia had the highest frequency of mentions, followed by firewood and dyeing of cloth, construction, furniture, and charcoal. The wood had the highest use reports (UR) and cultural importance (CI), while stem bark had the highest number of uses (NU) and cultural value index (CVe). Conclusion: The study showed that the applications and use categories were influenced by the rural nature of communities and lack of availability of services. This study revealed a high-fidelity level for the S. campanulata stem bark to treat anemia, a common ailment in the study region. The study suggests increasing awareness for better promotion and valorization of S. campanulata in Ghana as a source of fuel wood and medicinal purposes. Keywords: ethnobotany, Volta region, anemia, dyeing, construction, furniture, cultural importance

An ethnomedicinal study in tulo district, west hararghe zone, oromia region, Ethiopia

Traditional medicinal plants used by local Oromo people of Tulo District in west Hararghe, Ethiopia, were investigated before people's medicinal knowledge vanishes. Data on medicinal plants and demography were obtained between November 2019 and October 2020 through semi-structured interviews, group discussion and direct guided onsite observation to elicit information from 376 non-traditional and 20 traditional medicine practitioners. Ethnobotanical indices including informant consensus factor (ICF), preference ranking (PR), fidelity level (FL), relative frequency of citation (RFG) and cultural importance (CI) were employed for the data analysis. Moreover; descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance and linear regression were used to reveal the effects of socio-demographic factors on respondents' traditional medicinal knowledge. Totally 104 plants distributed among 98 genera and 55 families were enumerated for the treatment of 60 illnesses. Seventy-seven of these medicinal plants serve to treat human ailments, whereas 11 and 16 of them were used for livestock and for both, respectively. Asteraceae and Lamiaceae were species rich families. Leaves were the most frequently (41.53%) reported structures for the preparation of remedies. Crushing was the principal approach (34.50%) of remedy preparation. Oral administration was frequently (66.08%) used route of application. The highest ICF was observed for swelling and hemorrhoid (0.90) category. Metabolic and degenerative as well as other ailment categories had the least ICF values. About 66% of medicinal plants had FL value of 100%. In PR, G. abyssinica was ranked first to treat cough. RFC values varied from 0.03 to 0.18 with the highest record for Salvia nilotica (0.18) followed by Lepidium sativum, Rydingia integrifolia and Nigella sativa each with 0.16; Euphorbia abyssinica and Asplenium monanthes each with 0.15. Extensive use of land for agricultural purpose was key threat to medicinal plant of Tulo District. All the tested socio-demographic features except religion significantly (P < 0.05) affected the traditional knowledge on medicinal plants possessed by the study population. The results of this study reveals that the people of Tulo District rely on traditional medicine of plant origin, and their indigenous knowledge is instrumental to exploit the most potential plants for further validation. Therefore, the medicinal plant species wealth of the study site and the associated indigenous knowledge need to be preserved.

Carolina's Golden Fields: Inland Rice Cultivation in the South Carolina Lowcountry, 1670–1860

In Carolina's Golden Fields, Hayden Smith delivers a long overdue assessment of inland rice culture's importance to the South Carolina Lowcountry. Due to a dearth of primary sources and the fact that most inland rice fields have been lost to reforestation and development, historians have overlooked inland rice cultivation or have viewed it as a primitive stage of rice cultivation when compared to tidal cultivation. Rather, as Smith's work demonstrates, inland rice cultivation required planters and enslaved laborers to exercise precise knowledge of topography and hydrology to render their harvests profitable. The utilization of this knowledge began when free and enslaved Carolinians experimented with rice alongside other grains as a subsistence crop, first relying on the “providence” method and then realizing the advantages of impervious soils and water management. Using Pooshee, Newington, and Charleywood plantations as examples in chapter 2, Smith demonstrates how rice planters and enslaved laborers adapted to and manipulated varied microenvironments to make cultivation successful and ultimately create a foundation for South Carolina's colonial economy and the expansion of slavery. With the foundation set in the first decades of the eighteenth century, land acquisition and a stable market prompted rice planters to engage in ever more elaborate schemes for irrigation and drainage that mirrored new strategies being used for tidal cultivation. As Smith discusses in chapter 3, this intensive stage of development resulted in higher profits, increased demand for labor, and susceptibility to malaria, freshets, and declining soil fertility. Consequently, planters increasingly perceived the environment as unhealthy and downright hostile.Nevertheless, inland rice cultivation persisted throughout the antebellum period and contributed to the evolution of the Lowcountry's agricultural regime. Focusing on four Wando River plantations in chapter 4, Smith notes how rice planters expanded their landholdings in the post–Revolutionary War era in order to access water and have enslaved laborers construct reservoirs and canals. Smith's microanalysis of each plantation illuminates his earlier theme that this work required knowledge of topography and hydrology to make rice cultivation profitable. It also involved constant experimentation with planting strategies to maintain crop yields. For some planters, successful inland rice cultivation also provided a potential avenue into the Lowcountry aristocracy. Locked out of the more expensive tidal plantation market, social aspirants like Mathurin Gibbs and John Irving saw inland rice as a means to establish their status as planters. As chapter 5 makes clear, despite ambition and the knowledge of experienced overseers, their efforts were frustrated by environmental limitations and small labor forces. Indeed, Gibbs succumbed to malaria in 1849. Yet agricultural reformers espoused inland rice as a way to diversify their planting portfolio when the fertility of their cotton lands declined in the two decades preceding the Civil War. In chapter 6, Smith focuses on Middle Saint John's Berkeley Parish where the Black Oak Agricultural Society promoted scientific experimentation and planters had access to the numerous inland swamps and freshwater springs in Biggin Basin. These reform efforts never amounted to much, but the attempt to revive inland rice testified to its persistence as a symbol of economic salvation.With emancipation, large-scale rice cultivation collapsed and former inland rice lands returned to forest. Purchased by timber companies or converted to subdivisions in the twentieth century, little remains of the inland rice infrastructure that Smith describes throughout the book. However, drawing from plantation ledgers, manuscripts, agricultural journals, deeds and plats, geological and archaeological reports, and myriad other primary and secondary sources, Smith rescues inland rice cultivation from obscurity and gives it a central place in South Carolina's environmental history. Moreover, Hayden Smith has walked the land he describes, and Carolina's Golden Fields exemplifies his intimate knowledge of the Lowcountry, past and present, as well as his skill as a historian. His astute attention to the terrain of forest and history make this a readable, informed, and important contribution to the historiography of rice, slavery, and the environment.

Uses, preference, cultural importance and informant consensus factor of tree species in Uttarakhand: A case study from Bhilangana Watershed (Western Himalaya, India)

Residents in the hilly area of Indian Himalaya are largely dependent on tree resources for their livelihoods. The local knowledge and traditional practices are vanishing in rural areas due to drastic change in lifestyle and land use pattern. Diversity and tree species used by residents of Bhilangana watershed for their everyday needs have not yet been adequately recorded. Available information is mainly on ecology and geology of the region. Therefore, the aim of the study was to document tree diversity and extant local knowledge on tree species. Extensive surveys were conducted during 2018-19 to assess tree diversity, local knowledge on tree utilization through personal interview of 158 local residents. A total of 187 tree species belonging to 131 genera and 58 families were recorded and of these, 174 species were of ethno-botanical importance with at least one or multiples uses. Around 56.68% of tree species belonged to 15 dominant families. Ethno-botanical important species were classified into different use categories by local according to their use. Among use categories, 19.78% trees were used for medicine, 28.34% edible, 45.98% fodder, 59.89% fuel and 6.95% with no direct use in the area. The value of relative frequency of citation (RFC) for 28 tree species was calculated 1 which shows the relative high popularity/preference of these species and cultural importance (CI) value was found between 1 to 3.09 for 38 trees which signify the importance of tree species in the area. The highest informant consensus factor (0.99) was found for edible and religious followed by fibre (0.98), timber (0.98), fodder (0.974) and fuel (0.97). These findings highlight the importance of tree resources in mountainous regions.

Composition of homegarden plants and cultural use in an indigenous community in Northwest Ethiopia

BackgroundHomegardens in Northern Ethiopia received little investigation into the diversity of plants and no study and recording in the Gozamin District. This study was used to fill the gap in how cultural use and cultural importance conserve species diversity in homegardens in the different agroclimatic zones in northwestern Ethiopia.MethodsThe study district and 12 kebeles were chosen using multistage and stratified random selection procedures based on traditional agroclimatic zones in the Gozamin District, Northwest Ethiopia, respectively. The number of plots chosen in each homegarden was determined by the homegarden's size, which ranges from 0.015 to 0.5 ha. These data were gathered by putting plots with a distance gradient from home (size: 10 × 10 m each). A semi-structured interview and complete plant inventory were conducted to document the informant's knowledge of plant species. Sørensen’s similarity indices and Shannon–Wiener diversity indices were used to compare the similarity of sites and three agroclimatic zones, respectively. Direct matrix ranking, cultural importance (CI), the relative frequency of citation, and cultural value were used in quantitative analysis to compare the most common multipurpose plants.ResultsA total of 238 culturally important plant species from 81 families were identified. The Kruskal–Wallis test showed that there was a significant difference among the three agroclimatic zones species diversity (H = 103.4, Hc = 111.2, p < 0.05). Of the total plant species recorded, 59% were reported to be utilized for environmental uses, 35% were food crops, and 35% were medicinal plant species. The same was true for the three agroclimatic zones; food and medicinal uses were the first and second most important use categories, respectively. The similarity index for 64% of the sites investigated was less than 0.5. Cordia africana (FC = 125) was the most culturally significant species with a value of 2.23 on the CI index.ConclusionHomegardens are multifunctional systems. The presence of different agroclimatic zones, cultural uses, cultural importance, and cultural value of the species are central to conserving plant species in the area. As the size of the garden increases, so does the diversity of species and uses. Our findings suggest that conservation strategies should take into account the links between plant composition and cultural importance.

A cross-cultural ethnobotanical knowledge comparison about local plants among Pashto, Punjabi and Saraiki communities living in Southwest Pakistan

Background: The current work was conducted with the aim for the documentation of the indigenous uses of medicinal plants for food purposes across the three main indigenous communities in South-west Pakistan. Field work was conducted in 21 villages belonging to the three regions of the district D.I. Khan (Saraiki Community), district Zhob (Pashto Community) and district Mianwali (Punjabi Community), located in the Southwest Pakistan. Methods: Snowball sampling method was used to interview 93 informants (43 Pashto, 28 Punjabi and 22 Saraiki) using semi-structured questionnaire to document the uses of indigenous taxa as food, herbal tea and herbal juice/drinks purposes. Documented data was quantified by indices UV (use value) and CI (Cultural importance values). Results: Overall, 68 Plants species belonging to the 40 families were documented to be used in food, herbal tea and herbal juice/drinks. The most important species was Limonium cabulicum on the basis of use reports. Major ailments include stomach problems, hair loss, wounds, fever, weight loss and others treated with traditional food /drinks. The Phyllanthus emblica (0.31) has the highest UV. The highest cultural value was obtained for Zingiber officinale (0.28). Conclusion: The traditional communities still use medicinal plants. Cross-cultural ethnobotanical studies are fundamental among three ethnic communities in Southwest Pakistan not only for suggesting customs of using plant-based products, which could be exploited in sustainable local development projects (e.g. trade of wild medicinal herbs on small-scale, herbal products, food niche and also focusing on eco-tourism), but also for development relationship and reconciliation among diverse ethnic communities. Keywords: Cross-Cultural Ethnobotany, food plants, herbal tea, herbal juice/drinks, Pashto, Punjabi, Saraiki

Ethnobotanical inventory and therapeutic applications of plants traded in the Ho Central Market, Ghana

Background: For therapeutic purposes, local markets serve as the main trading center of medicinal plants for both traditional medicine practitioners and the general public. However, there is still limited information about the plant species and their derivatives traded outside larger markets in major cities. This study aimed to take inventory of the plant species traded for medicinal purposes in a traditional market outside a major city and determine their applications through vendors’ familiarization. Methods: An inventory of plant species traded for medicinal purposes in the Ho Central Market was undertaken, coupled with a semi-structured interviews on their applications based on the vendor's familiarization. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices were used to determine the most culturally important species. Results: A total of 60 plant species from 37 families was documented to be traded in the Ho Central Market. The Adansonia digitata, Thaumatococcus daniellii and Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides were recorded to have the highest frequency of citations. The highest use report (UR) and cultural importance (CI) values were recorded for Z. zanthoxyloides. Body pains, blood tonic (anemia), and abdominal pains were the most prominent conditions that traded plants were used to treat. Conclusion: The study revealed a total of 60 medicinal plants which is commonly sold in the Ho Central Market and other major markets in the country, which was attributed to idiosyncrasy in cultural knowledge about the application of the plants. The market served as a venue for information exchange and learning, resulting in the high uniformity of vendors' familiarization with plant application and that of traditional medicine practitioners. Keywords: Local market, Medicinal plants, Trade, Cultural importance, Traditional medicine, Body pains

Cultural Keystone Species without Boundaries: A Case Study on Wild Woody Plants of Transhumant People around the Georgia-Turkey Border (Western Lesser Caucasus)

Understanding plant significance across cultures and borders is a driving goal in ethnobotany. Often, empirical studies aim to highlight and explain variation in plant knowledge and uses between communities across national, geographic, and cultural boundaries. However, such studies underinvestigate commonality of values and practices between communities. In this cross-border study of highland pastoral communities in both Caucasian Georgia and Turkey, we propose and implement an approach that synthesizes Cultural Importance (CI) and Identified Cultural Importance (ICI) indices. We label this method a “Unified Cultural Keystone Species (UCKS)” approach. We demonstrate that such an approach is uniquely capable of perceiving shared Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and practices across cultures and borders. Our results identify three primary Cultural Keystone Species (CKS) that cut across cultural and political boundaries in the Western Lesser Caucasus. We argue that these findings allow for a more comprehensive understanding of ethnobotanical knowledge and practices in the study area. This, in turn, can enhance conservation and restoration strategies in the study region and beyond by highlighting the breadth of biocultural knowledge and value held within shared traditions and landscapes. By so doing, we show a way to heighten scientific perceptions of the importance of cultural and linguistic connections to environmental well-being in specific places.

The role of Culture in Environmental Sustainability

Culture's importance is becoming a critical issue in our society. This is because such positions must be clearly defined for sustainable development to become a reality. The society appears to be having some difficulties right now. These factors include urbanization and climate change. The way these issues are solved will have a significant impact on society's future. This paper will examine literature to study the connection or relationship that exists between the built environment, sustainable development, and culture to describe the subject matter of this research. The importance of culture, the built environment, and sustainability will be highlighted in this section. Relevant and valid articles that demonstrate how culture is crucial in any sustainable environment or community will be the emphasis. The literature study explains how culture has a greater impact on societal development in both social and economic terms. Culture plays an important influence in long-term development. In other words, it is a critical component of the process. This is because it oversees assisting people in forming relationships and cultivating the proper attitude in the society in which they live. Sustainable development is an important idea and role in every culture and society. This is due to the fact that it has been discovered to have a good impact on every aspect of an embedded civilization. This paper will attempt to provide a comprehensive examination of culture and its contributions to environmental and sustainability issues. Culture will be considered as a fundamental component of any sustainable environment, as well as a component of the environmental, economic, and social implications of sustainable development.

Medicinal ethnobotany of wild plants: a cross-cultural comparison around Georgia-Turkey border, the Western Lesser Caucasus

BackgroundThe Mountains of the Western Lesser Caucasus with its rich plant diversity, multicultural and multilingual nature host diverse ethnobotanical knowledge related to medicinal plants. However, cross-cultural medicinal ethnobotany and patterns of plant knowledge have not yet been investigated in the region. Doing so could highlight the salient medicinal plant species and show the variations between communities. This study aimed to determine and discuss the similarities and differences of medicinal ethnobotany among people living in highland pastures on both sides of the Georgia-Turkey border.MethodsDuring the 2017 and 2018 summer transhumance period, 119 participants (74 in Turkey, 45 in Georgia) were interviewed with semi-structured questions. The data was structured in use-reports (URs) following the ICPC classification. Cultural Importance (CI) Index, informant consensus factor (FIC), shared/separate species-use combinations, as well as literature data were used for comparing medicinal ethnobotany of the communities.ResultsOne thousand five hundred six UR for 152 native wild plant species were documented. More than half of the species are in common on both sides of the border. Out of 817 species-use combinations, only 9% of the use incidences are shared between communities across the border. Around 66% of these reports had not been previously mentioned specifically in the compared literature. Only 33 species have similar use reports in both countries, most important of which are Plantago major, Urtica dioica, Picea orientalis, Anthemis spp., Sambucus ebulus, Achillea millefolium, Helichrysum rubicundum, Mentha longifolia, Pinus sylvestris var. hamata, Hypericum perforatum, Tussilago farfara, Helichrysum plicatum, Rumex crispus, Berberis vulgaris, and Origanum vulgare. More than half of species reported in each country were found to have more than one part of the plant valued for medicinal use. The most common way of using plants medicinally in both countries is drinking the water infusion of aerial parts with flowers. Based on CI index value, two-thirds of the salient 15 genera in both countries have use reports in at least seven medicinal use categories. While the most cited category with highest FIC is digestive in Georgia, it is skin category in Turkey. Patterns of medicinal plant knowledge among studied communities appear to be connected with more than one cultural factor, in particular ethnolinguistic diversity, cultural background, and access to multilingual written folk and scientific literature, or probably a combination of various factors.ConclusionConsidering the regions’ floral similarity, common historical-cultural contact, and similar livelihood strategies of the communities, shared ethnomedicinal knowledge across the Georgia-Turkey border is quite low. Even though the impacts of accessing multilingual folk and scientific literature are likely to be significant, the factors that shape the medicinal plant knowledge patterns of the communities are shown to be variable among species, needing further research into intracultural diversity and socio-economical conditions, as well as the political history across the border.

Traditional knowledge and cultural importance of Gardenia erubescens Stapf & Hutch. in Sudanian savanna of Burkina Faso

BackgroundTraditional knowledge (TK) on the different uses of under-valued fruit tree species including Gardenia erubescens Stapf & Hutch.—a plant species of least concern (LC) based on International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classification yet considered threatened due to overharvesting by a National Assessment in addition to 59 other species in Burkina Faso. This study aimed to collect and synthesize information on traditional knowledge and cultural importance of G. erubescens. This information will contribute to document traditional knowledge systems that are fast eroding due to the lack of transmission of the knowledge and will also highlight G. erubescens as a priority species for conservation given that this species is widely used among householders in rural areas in Burkina Faso.MethodsThis study assesses TK on the uses and cultural importance (CI) of G. erubescens, among 514 randomly selected respondents across 15 villages bordering three community forest areas located in Eastern and Centre-Western Regions of Burkina Faso through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Additionally, the uses and CI of G. erubescens were evaluated in relation to informant’s gender, ethnicity, generation, and location. Ethnobotanical indices (relative frequency of citation, relative use value, and CI) were computed using generalized linear models, Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann-Whitney tests.ResultsResults indicated 30 specific uses of G. erubescens of which food values recorded the highest uses as reported by 58.97% respondents followed by medicine (17.22%) with a very low 0.23% for magical uses. Food and medicinal uses were the most important for women while men valued more the species for constructions, cultural, and magical uses. The fruit is the most preferred and marketable part of the plant while the leaves, fruits, roots, leafy twigs, and bark are mainly harvested for pharmacopeia and psycho-magical problems.ConclusionsTraditional knowledge on the uses of G. erubescens varied significantly in relation to gender, ethnicity, generations, and case study locations. Despite the importance of G. erubescens for food and other livelihood values, this specie is of LC to the IUCN; yet, a National Assessment considers it as threatened. The multiple uses of this specie based on TK systems for uses such as food, income, medicine, etc. is an indication that G. erubescens if sustainable managed could form an important safety net especially for rural households in Burkina Faso that are highly dependent on trees and forest resources.

Ethnic and generational differences in traditional knowledge and cultural importance of &lt;i&gt;Lannea microcarpa&lt;i/&gt; Engl. &amp; K. Krause in Benin’s Sudanian savannah

Connaître l’importance socioculturelle des arbres fruitiers autochtones et des facteurs qui la déterminent est un préalable indispensable àleur valorisation et aux décisions sur leur mode de gestion. La présente étude s’est attachée à documenter les connaissances traditionnelles (CT) et l’importance culturelle (IC) de Lannea microcarpa, arbre fruitier autochtone peu connu et sous-utilisé de la zone soudanienne au Bénin. L’étude s’est également penchée sur les éventuelles variations en termes de CT et de IC selon les groupes ethniques et les générations. Nous avons recueilli des informations sur les utilisations et l’importance de l’essence auprès de 262 personnes sélectionnées de manière aléatoire dans la zone de distribution de l’arbre, à l’aide de listes libres et d’un système de notation. Vingt-huit utilisations réparties en huit catégories d’usages ont été recensées, dont 21 médicinales, deux commerciales et une chacune pour l’alimentation humaine, le fourrage, le bois de feu, la construction, l’emballage et les curedents. Contrairement au cas des autres catégories d’utilisation, les connaissances traditionnelles liées aux usages pour l’alimentation n’ont pasvarié selon les générations ou les groupes ethniques. De plus, les utilisations alimentaires sont culturellement les plus importantes, suivies par les utilisations médicinales. Globalement, le fruit est la partie préférée de l’arbre, et la plus souvent commercialisée. Les problèmes de santé traités à l’aide de L. microcarpa comprennent l’anémie, la diarrhée, la toux, les ulcères, les maux d’estomac et les hémorragies suite aux accouchements. Nos résultats indiquent que la domestication de L. microcarpa devra privilégier le fruit, la partie de l’arbre la plus appréciée. D’autres études pourront ainsi se pencher sur les possibilités de domestication de L. microcarpa en privilégiant ses caractéristiques fruitières et l’amélioration de la production de fruits.

Animals and animal products as medicines: A survey of Epie-Atissa and Ogbia people of Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Context: The importance of traditional medicine cannot be over emphasized as a quarter of prescription drugs globally are natural based. In this type of medicine, plants are mixed together or are sometimes used in combination with other materials such as animals and minerals, as remedy. While a considerable amount of documentation of indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants has been executed, there is paucity of similar studies on animals in Nigeria. Aims: To carry out a survey of ethnozoology among the Epie-Atissa and Ogbia people of Bayelsa State, Nigeria, with a view to documenting species with zoo-therapeutic values. Methods: Using a semi-structured questionnaire, information was gathered through personal interviews with traditional medical practitioners. The data were evaluated using some ethnozoological indices such as use value of the species, family use value, relative frequency of citation, relative number of use, relative importance index, and cultural importance (CI). Results: A total of 43 species of animals belonging to three phyla, Chordata (66.7%), Arthropoda (22.2%) and Mollusca and Pisces (15.9%) were gathered in ten classes with Mammalia being the most mentioned (22.7%) followed by Reptilia (18.2%) and Pisces (15.9%). The most important diseases cited were inflammation/pain/arthritis (20.0%), ear/nose/throat (18.3%), reproductive purpose (16.7%) and convulsion/epilepsy (15.0%) while the most culturally important animals (CI) included Agama agama (0.85), Protopterus dolloi (0.45), Testudo graeca (0.23), Gorilla gorilla (0.17), Hemachatus haemachatus (0.14) and Hemidactylus frenatus (0.14). Conclusions: The survey furnishes the populace including medicinal plant researchers and some other traditional medicine practitioners with a real wellspring of communicable knowledge. These medicinal animal materials could be included in the healthcare delivery system of the country.

HOW FOUNDERS CREATE THE CULTURE OF THE COMPANIES THEY BUILD

Brown believes that culture's importance cannot be overstated: “Culture is perhaps the biggest market differentiator, even above price of service and being the first to market,” he writes. Particularly in start‐ups, culture reflects the attributes of the founders. Brown points to his own example with his (since sold) app company Cuddlr, along with Travis Kalanick of Uber and Jack Dorsey of Twitter. Brown also reaches back to one of history's greatest founders: “Walt Disney said he wanted to fuel imaginations, not make cartoons, and that enabled him to create amazing architecture, theme parks, and other brilliant projects that fit into his cultural values.”

Ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants used in traditional medicine by the communities of Mount Hermon, Lebanon

Ethnopharmacological relevanceMedicinal plant species in Lebanon are experiencing severe threats because of various environmental conditions, human expansion footprints and recent growing global demand. Organized research and information on indigenous medicinal plants and knowledge have been very limited and little efforts have been invested to develop a complete inventory for native medicinal plants and associated traditional knowledge in the country. Recognized as a key biodiversity area of the Mediterranean Basin, Mount Hermon hosts important richness of medicinal plants that has been traditionally used in treatment of many illnesses since generations. Novel knowledge gathered by the present investigation is important in preserving indigenous knowledge of Mount Hermon community and revitalizing traditional herbal medicines. Material and methodsEthnopharmacological information was collected by semi-structured interviews with 53 native informants (herbalists, traditional healers, midwives and local adult villagers) in 13 towns and villages surrounding Mount Hermon. The interviews were conducted through guided field visits and discussion groups whilst collecting plants specimens. Taxonomical identification of plant species was based on the determination keys of the “New Flora of Lebanon and Syria” and specimens were deposited at the herbarium of the Research Center for Environment and Development at Beirut Arab University. ResultsThe results obtained indicate that 124 plant species of Mount flora are still used in traditional medicine by the local communities as an important source of primary health care and treatment of a wide range of different illnesses. These species belonged to 42 families and 102 genera. Compositae (19 species), Labiatae (18 species), Rosaceae (11) and Umbelliferae (11) formed the dominant families. Informants' Consensus Factor (FIC) analysis revealed that among the 14 illness categories used, respiratory (0.94), gastrointestinal and renal (0.93), genital systems (0.92) had the highest FIC values. The Medicinal Importance (MI) of these systems had also the top positions (16.24, 13.60, 13.18 and 12.09, respectively), whilest Mentha spicata subsp. condensata (Briq.) Greuter et Burdet recorded the heighest Cultural Importance (CI) value at 4.75. ConclusionThis study documents for the first time the ethnopharmacological knowledge regarding part of the Lebanese flora in Mount Hermon. The perpetuity of this knowledge of successive generations can be used as an important tool for the future phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological studies, as well as conservation and management of medicinal plants as part of the local cultural heritage.

Traditional Knowledge Associated with Tropical Fruit Tree Genetic Resources: Comparison of Upper-Ghat and Coastal Situation of Central Western Ghats, India

The study was taken up in two representative villages each from upper-Ghat and coastal bioclimatic zones of Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka, India with an objective to document the total tropical fruit tree species diversity and the associated traditional knowledge. About 43 tropical fruit tree (TFT) species, were recorded. Seventy four traditional knowledge associated with TFTs were recorded from the study sites. It was noted that traditional knowledge related to culinary uses and processing of TFTs were practised even today. However, traditional knowledge related to medicinal uses showed a decreasing trend, where traditional medicines are being replaced with modern medicines. Cultural Importance (CI) value was calculated for all the 42 TFT genetic resources recorded. Mango showed highest value for CI when considered for each bioclimatic zone as well as when the data was pooled over all the village. Further, other two species that showed relatively higher values of CI were jack fruit and Garcinia indica. There was a positive association of the frequency of TFTs and their CI values. Documentation of such invaluable traditional knowledge would establish the rights of local communities over their traditional knowledge and its use. It is suggested that community biodiversity register (CBR) could be effectively adopted to empower local people.