Highest Number Of Plant Species Research Articles

Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plant species used by communities around Mabira and Mpanga Central Forest Reserves, Uganda

BackgroundMedicinal plants form an integral part of many health care systems in Uganda. This study aimed at documenting the therapeutic importance of plant species used in primary health care among communities living adjacent to Mabira and Mpanga forest reserves in Central Uganda.MethodsAn ethnobotanical study was conducted between April and June 2018 in 7 villages adjacent to Mpanga and 6 villages adjacent to Mabira central forest reserves. Information was obtained from 28 respondents identified using snowball and purposive sampling techniques and interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to present the data. The quantitative analysis of data was done using fidelity level, informant consensus factor, and percent respondent knowledge indices.ResultsA total of 136 medicinal plants were recorded. The plant species classified into 55 families were grouped under 14 medical categories with the highest number of plant species being used for digestive disorders (44%), followed by respiratory (38%) and dermatological disorders (36%). Hoslundia opposita Vahl was mentioned by 71% of the respondents for treating 22 disease conditions. Plant Family Fabaceae was the most represented with 16 species. Informant consensus agreement was high (0.7) for respiratory disorders. The fidelity level was 100% for Bidens pilosa L. and Callistemon citrinus Skeels for treating wounds and cough, respectively. Plant remedies were mainly prepared by decoction (31%) and administered orally (36%). A large number of plants (61%) were harvested from wild habitats. Herbs (50%) and leaves (50%) contributed the highest percentage of plant biological forms and parts used in remedy preparation.ConclusionThis study recorded plant species with the potential to treat a wide range of illnesses. This is reflected in the high diversity of the recorded species used for medicinal purposes. Pharmacological studies on the plants with high percentage use values and fidelity levels are needed to validate their uses in the management of the said therapeutic applications. Further research on the isolation and characterization of the plant active compounds could lead to the discovery of new potential drugs.

Ethno - Botanical Survey Of Plant Species Used For Mosquito Control In Nigeria

In Nigeria, there is paucity of information on plants used to repel or kill mosquitoes despite the abundant plant species in the country’s tropical rain forests. Majority of available data are on the traditional use of plants for curative purposes. This study documents some plant species used for insecticidal or repellent purposes against mosquitoes in Nigeria. An ethno-botanical survey was carried out in four geo-political zones in the country using structured questionnaires and focus group discussion. A total of six plant species belonging to five families were reported in Delta state with Conyza Canadensis (Compositae) being the most utilized (50%) and Aspilia africana (Compositae), the least mentioned (5.60%). In Enugu state, a total of nine plant species belonging to eight families were mentioned by respondents with Aframomum melegueta the most utilised (26.09%) while Agava sisalana and Dracaena manii belonging to the families Agavaceae and Dracaenaceae were the least mentioned (1.09% each). A total of six plant species belonging to five families were reported in Kaduna State with Lantana camara belonging to the family Verbenaceae accounting for 58.82% of the utilised plant species for mosquito control while Ipomea asarifolia, Terminalia catappa and Citrullus vulgaris belonging to the families Convolvulaceae, Combretaceae and Cucurbitaceae respectively were the least utilized (5.88% each). Lagos State recorded the highest number of plant species (twenty five) belonging to eighteen families. Spondia mombin belonging to the family Lilaceae was the most mentioned (7.33%) while the least mentioned (0.37% each) were Magnifera indica, Baphia nitida and Pennisetum purpeum belongingto the families Anacardiaceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae respectively. There is a need for further investigation on these plant species as they may constitute potential sources of cidal and repellent compounds against a wide range of insect pests.
 Keywords: Ethno-botanical survey, insecticidal, repellence, mosquitoes, plant species

Mowing machinery and migratory sheep herds are complementary dispersal vectors for grassland species

AbstractAimWe assessed the role of mowing machinery and endozoochory by migratory sheep as dispersal vectors in semi‐natural grasslands by comparing the species compositions and traits of species found in the vectors to the regional above‐ground vegetation and soil seed bank. Furthermore, we discuss how their interplay may affect the conservation of semi‐natural grasslands.LocationRhön Mountains, central Europe.MethodsPlant material from mowers (n = 12 from one date) and dung samples from migratory sheep (n = 39 from 13 dates) were collected and the dispersed plant species were determined using the emergence method. We compared the species compositions to the regional above‐ground vegetation and seed bank using non‐metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) and indicator species analysis. Furthermore, we compared functional traits of the dispersed species to traits of non‐dispersed species of the regional species pools by calculating log‐response ratios and performing metaregressions.ResultsWhile 43 species were shared between the vectors, the vegetation compositions differed from each other. Mower samples were more similar to the above‐ground vegetation whereas dung samples were more similar to the seed bank. Mowers and sheep endozoochory favoured the dispersal of species with different traits and phenologies. Species with small seed sizes were prevalent in both vectors. Mowers were less selective concerning most traits, but favoured high‐growing grasses such as Alopecurus pratensis and Trisetum flavescens. Sheep dung samples contained less grasses and more palatable species, such as Urtica dioica. Mowers were most selective concerning phenology, whereas endozoochory by migratory sheep also included late‐flowering species.ConclusionSheep endozoochory and mowing machinery are complementary dispersal vectors favouring species with differing functional traits. Sheep endozoochory enables dispersal of species that have unfavourable traits (e.g. low releasing heights) or phenologies for dispersal by mowing machinery. To ensure the dispersal of a high number of plant species in semi‐natural grasslands, the interplay of different vectors should be considered.

English

This work aims to explore the epidemiological status of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and assemblage of various plant species that have prophylactic or therapeutic potentials on the disease. Epidemiological data were obtained from various health authorities worldwide and articles (totaling 103) published in standard journals from 2002-2020 on medicinal plants used in treating the disease and similar diseases. Epidemiological records of COVID-19 regional epidemic in Africa as of 29th July, 2020 indicated South Africa as the epicenter of the disease; its continental index case was in Egypt on 14th February, 2020. This was transmitted via an individual with traveling history from highly COVID burdened nations. Recent records revealed that the new cases of the disease have started trending locally with a person to person contact especially among those without travel history. There were about 874,036 cases in Africa with about 18,498 deaths recorded within the time frame of this study. The age groups mostly affected were 20-49 years with males’ frequency marginally surpassing that of females. Seventy-five medicinal plant species from 41 families were recorded. Identified plants are indigenous to both the tropical and subtropical regions. Their medicinal potentials for treating human viral diseases are well described in Africa. Family Lamiaceae have the highest number of plant species (14.6%) used in managing COVID-19 and other related diseases. Asteraceae (12.3%) and Apiaceae (9.7%) families ranked second and third, respectively. Further studies on these plants with promising anti-SARS-CoV 2 properties on different experimental models for subsequent development of nutraceuticals and herbal medicine is imperative.  Key words: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Africa, epidemiology, medicinal plants.

Wild and semi-wild edible plants used by the communities of Acholi sub-region, Northern Uganda

Background: In the Acholi sub-region, consumption of wild edible plants is still an integral part of the food culture, particularly during times of food shortage. However, much of indigenous traditional knowledge has not been documented due to the history of prolonged civil war in the area. We conducted an ethnobotanical survey to document the wild plants utilized by the Acholi communities in northern Uganda.Methods: Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires administered to 1,353 respondents between November 2017 and February 2018 and 65 focus group discussions.Results: Seventy-three edible plants from 39 families were identified to species level while three species were unidentified. Vitex doniana (0.72), Aframomum alboviolaceum. (0.70), Saba comorensis (0.45), Hibiscus surattensis (0.42), and Borassus aethiopum (0.39) had the highest relative frequencies of citation. Fabaceae (7) and Euphorbiaceae (5) had the highest number of plant species. Most of the edible plants were herbs (34%) and trees (31%). Fruits were the major parts consumed (57%), followed by leaves (37%). Only 34% of species were cooked before eating, while 60% were eaten raw. Sixty-seven percent of the species were harvested during the rainy season and 22% in the dry season.Conclusion: There is a rich diversity of wild edible plants in the Acholi sub-region. Conservation and domestication of these plants will provide a buffer crop and enhance the food security of the locals in the face of recurrent droughts and climate change.Keywords: Wild edible plants, Indigenous knowledge Ethnobotany, Food security.

<p><strong>Flowers to <em>Òsanyìn</em>: <em>Lychnophora osanyiniana</em> (Asteraceae: Vernonieae) a new “<em>arnica da serra</em>” from Minas Gerais, Brazil</strong></p>

Lychnophora osanyiniana is a new species from “campos rupestres”, a Brazilian savanna ecosystem constantly threatened by agriculture and mining, despite it having a high number of plant species, particularly endemic and microendemic species. The new species was collected from Sítio Serra da Rita, Serra dos Alves, municipality of Itabira, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The species is recognized by its glomerulate capitulescence with subinvolucral bracts surrounding sessile heads, giving the appearance of a single head. Another distinct character, although it is not exclusive, is an uniseriate pappus, shared by just three species, Lychnophora grisea, L. haplopappa and L. uniflora, of which only L. haplopappa has similar habit, becoming the closest species.

Edible Fruit Plant Species in the Amazon Forest Rely Mostly on Bees and Beetles as Pollinators.

Edible fruit plants of tropical forests are important for the subsistence of traditional communities. Understanding the most important pollinators related to fruit and seed production of these plants is a necessary step to protect their pollination service and assure the food security of these communities. However, there are many important knowledge gaps related to floral biology and pollination in megadiverse tropical rainforests, such as the Amazon Forest, due mainly to the high number of plant species. Our study aims to indicate the main pollinators of edible plants (mainly fruits) of the Amazon forest. For this, we adopted a threefold strategy: we built a list of edible plant species, determined the pollination syndrome of each species, and performed a review on the scientific literature searching for their pollinator/visitors. The list of plant species was determined from two specialized publications on Amazon fruit plants, totaling 188 species. The pollination syndrome was determined for 161 species. The syndromes most frequently found among the analyzed species were melittophily (bee pollination), which was found in 101 of the analyzed plant species (54%) and cantharophily (beetle pollination; 26 species; 14%). We also found 238 pollinator/visitor taxa quoted for 52 (28%) plant species in previous publications, with 124 taxa belonging to Apidae family (bees; 52%), mainly from Meliponini tribe (58 taxa; 47%). Knowledge about pollinators is an important step to help on preserving their ecosystem services and maintaining the productivity of fruit trees in the Amazon.

Neither ant dominance nor abundance explain ant-plant network structure in Mexican temperate forests.

BackgroundAnt-plant mutualistic networks tend to have a nested structure that contributes to their stability, but the ecological factors that give rise to this structure are not fully understood. Here, we evaluate whether ant abundance and dominance hierarchy determine the structure of the ant-plant networks in two types of vegetation: oak and grassland, in two temperate environments of Mexico: Flor del Bosque State Park (FBSP) and La Malinche National Park (MNP). We predicted that dominant and abundant ant species make up the core, and submissives, the periphery of the network. We also expected a higher specialization level in the ant trophic level than in plant trophic level due to competition among the ant species for the plant-derived resources.MethodsThe ant-plant interaction network was obtained from the frequency of ant-plant interactions. We calculated a dominance hierarchy index for the ants using sampling with baits and evaluated their abundance using pitfall traps.ResultsIn MNP, the Formica spp. species complex formed the core of the network (in both the oak forest and the grassland), while in FBSP, the core species were Prenolepis imparis (oak forest) and Camponotus rubrithorax (grassland). Although these core species were dominant in their respective sites, they were not necessarily the most dominant ant species. Three of the four networks (oak forest and grassland in FBSP, and oak forest in MNP) were nested and had a higher number of plant species than ant species. Although greater specialization was observed in the ant trophic level in the two sites and vegetations, possibly due to competition with the more dominant ant species, this was not statistically significant. In three of these networks (grassland and oak forest of MNP and oak forest of FBSP), we found no correlation between the dominance hierarchy and abundance of the ant species and their position within the network. However, a positive correlation was found between the nestedness contribution value and ant dominance hierarchy in the grassland of the site FBSP, which could be due to the richer ant-plant network and higher dominance index of this community.ConclusionsOur evidence suggests that ant abundance and dominance hierarchy have little influence on network structure in temperate ecosystems, probably due to the species-poor ant-plant network and a dominance hierarchy formed only by the presence of dominant and submissive species with no intermediate dominant species between them (absence of gradient in hierarchy) in these ecosystems.

Linear infrastructure habitats increase landscape-scale diversity of plants but not of flower-visiting insects

Habitats along linear infrastructure, such as roads and electrical transmission lines, can have high local biodiversity. To determine whether these habitats also contribute to landscape-scale biodiversity, we estimated species richness, evenness and phylogenetic diversity of plant, butterfly and bumblebee communities in 32 4 km2 landscapes with or without power line corridors, and with contrasting areas of road verges. Landscapes with power line corridors had on average six more plant species than landscapes without power lines, but there was no such effect for butterflies and bumblebees. Plant communities displayed considerable evenness in species abundances both in landscapes with and without power lines and high and low road verge densities. We hypothesize that the higher number of plant species in landscapes with power line corridors is due to these landscapes having a higher extinction debt than the landscapes without power line corridors, such that plant diversity is declining slower in landscapes with power lines. This calls for targeted conservation actions in semi-natural grasslands within landscapes with power line corridors to maintain biodiversity and prevent imminent population extinctions.

Ecological gradients hosting plant communities in Himalayan subalpine pastures: Application of multivariate approaches to identify indicator species

The development of vegetation communities is typically influenced by their response to variation in environmental, geographic and as well as physiographic gradients. The current study was planned to evaluate the influence of environmental gradients upon the structure of plant communities and to highlight their respective indicators in subalpine pastures of the Himalaya, Pakistan. In relation to this aim, ecological techniques were used following the Line transect (50 m) method to quantify the vegetation structure of the study area. Soil samples were collected from each sampling site and edaphic gradients were examined using standard protocols. Weather station data (Kestrel 4000) was used to determine the climatic gradients, GPS data was used to record the geographic and physiographic gradients. PCORD software was used to recognize communities through two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN), R and CANOCO software was employed for ordination analysis to find variation directories of different plant species. A total of 56 plant species, recorded from 21 sampling sites, were grouped into four plant communities with the help of environmental gradients. The highest index of similarity was recorded between the Bergenia-Sibbaldia-Rheum and Sibbaldia-Rheum-Bergenia communities and highest dissimilarity between Bergenia-Sibbaldia-Rheum and Juniperus-Sibbaldia-Poa communities. The highest number of plant species (50 species), maximum alpha diversity (H′ = 3.38) and beta diversity was reported in Sibbaldia-Rheum-Bergenia community (0.95), but Pielou's evenness was highest (0.89) in Juniperus-Sibbaldia-Poa among all recorded communities. Besides, the edaphic (i.e. organic matter, phosphorous, pH and soil texture) and climatic factors (temperature, humidity) were the strong environmental gradients that were responsible for structuring and hosting the diverse plant communities in subalpine meadows. Techniques adapted in the current study for identification of vegetation indicators could further be used for conservation management.

Ethnobotanical investigations on plants used in folk medicine by native people of Kumaun Himalayan Region of India

Background:A large population in the rural area of Uttarakhand is still dependent upon traditional plant-based knowledge to combat various disease conditions. This study aimed to explore the ethnopharmacological information and document traditional uses of plants in the Kumaun Himalayan region. Here we show the study of nine villages of three districts of the Uttarakhand state in India, located in the western Himalayan region.Methods:A total of 26 traditional healers and experienced inhabitants between 30-85 years of age were interviewed by a semi-structured questionnaire. The data obtained was quantitatively evaluated using use value (UV). Further, the informant consensus factor (ICF) and fidelity level (FL) were also calculated for species having UV higher than 0.15.Results:A total of 56 plant species were reported from 34 families. The highest number of plant species were collected from Asteraceae and Lamiaceae families followed by Rosaceae. Primary uses of plants were categorized into 29 disease categories. The highest number of species was reported to be used for gastrointestinal disorders (11.21%) followed by immuno-modulation, anti-stress, as adaptogens (10.2%), analgesics (7.47%), for nervous system related disorders (6.54%) and as antimicrobials (6.54%).Conclusions:Local traditional knowledge and practice of plant-based medicine is quite widespread in the rural areas of Uttarakhand and is an indispensable part of the healthcare system. It plays a vital role in the absence of basic medical facilities and tremendous paucity of trained medical personnels.Keywords:Ethnobotany, Himalaya, Cordyceps, Uttarakhand

Confronting an individual-based simulation model with empirical community patterns of grasslands.

Grasslands contribute to global biogeochemical cycles and can host a high number of plant species. Both–species dynamics and biogeochemical fluxes–are influenced by abiotic and biotic environmental factors, management and natural disturbances. In order to understand and project grassland dynamics under global change, vegetation models which explicitly capture all relevant processes and drivers are required. However, the parameterization of such models is often challenging. Here, we report on testing an individual- and process-based model for simulating the dynamics and structure of a grassland experiment in temperate Europe. We parameterized the model for three species and confront simulated grassland dynamics with empirical observations of their monocultures and one two-species mixture. The model reproduces general trends of vegetation patterns (vegetation cover and height, aboveground biomass and leaf area index) for the monocultures and two-species community. For example, the model simulates well an average annual grassland cover of 70% in the species mixture (observed cover of 77%), but also shows mismatches with specific observation values (e.g. for aboveground biomass). By a sensitivity analysis of the applied inverse model parameterization method, we demonstrate that multiple vegetation attributes are important for a successful parameterization while leaf area index revealed to be of highest relevance. Results of our study pinpoint to the need of improved grassland measurements (esp. of temporally higher resolution) in close combination with advanced modelling approaches.

A review on ethno-medicinal plants used in traditional medicine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The traditional medicine based on medicinal plants in the Kingdom of Arabia Saudia presents a strong relationship belonging to natural remedies, health, diet, and folk healing practice recognized by a specific culture. The aim of the current study is to carry out an ethnobotanical review on medicinal plants used in traditional medicine in the Kingdom of Arabia Saudia including information on plant species, used parts, preparation method as well as medical uses. Earlier published data in journals, textbooks, periodicals, websites, and databases written in pharmacological evidence of Suadi medicinal plants were based on gathering information. The present review work reported that 96 species belonging to 47 families have been used in Saudi Pharmacopeia. Amaranthaceae has the highest number of plant species (7) Followed by Asteraceae, Apocynaceae, and Fabaceae with 5 plant species in each. The inventoried plant species in the current work are frequently used for the treatment of various illnesses and to ensure the medication safety of Saudi people. The biological analysis of plant form used in Saudi natural remedies showed the dominance of herb and subshrub form with a percentage of 43% and 30% respectively. The most used preparation method of plant drugs, which used in Saudi Alternative medicine was decoction and infusion. The whole plant, leaves, seeds, and aerial parts were the most useful plant parts in natural preparation in Saudi traditional medicine with a percentage of 29%, 28%, 7%, and 5% respectively as reported in the present review work. The present review work gives big data about medicinal plants used in traditional medicine in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia including data about plant species, used parts, preparation method as well as medical uses.

Local plants and diabetes management; folkloric practices in Metropolitan Kano, Nigeria

An ethno botanical survey was carried out in Kano metropolis to investigate medicinal plants used locally for the treatment of diabetes in the area. The respondents for the study included herbalists and herb sellers. Oral interview was used to obtain information from the respondents using their local language and the information was recorded in a semi structured questionnaire. A total of 39 medicinal plant species belonging to 21 families were recorded in the study area. Family Fabaceae had the highest number of plant species and most of the plants were sourced from the wild. The plants were prepared mostly in their dried form and decoction was the most commonly used method of preparation. Moreover, combination of different plants or their parts in the preparation of the recipes for the treatment of diabetes was common among the respondents. Annisopus manii, Laptadenia hastata and Moringa oleifera were the most cited medicinal plants in the preparation of recipes for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in the study area
 Keywords: Diabetes management, folkloric, medicinal, plants

PEMANFAATAN DAUN SEBAGAI BAHAN PEMBUNGKUS MAKANAN DI KABUPATEN BANGKA TENGAH

Traditional food is a food and drink that is usually consumed by certain people, with a distinctive taste that is accepted by the community. This study aims to record, reveal, document community knowledge about plant species and how to use them as food packaging material by the people of Central Bangka Regency and to find out the conservation status or level of threat of species. The research method was conducted by interviewing the criteria of key informants, field observations, anatomical observations and cluster analysis with pastpogram software and in determining the location using purposive sampling. The results of the study obtained 10 types of plants whose leaves are used as food and food wrappers consisting of 7 families. The most widely used families are Arecaceae, Pandanaceae and Poaceae. The highest number of plant species based on habitat is 9(43%). The highest number of plant species based on habitus is herbs 5(50%). Based on the results of the cluster analysis, most people use banana leaves (Musa sp.) as food and food packaging.

Above and Below Ground Biomass and Carbon Stock in Permanent Grasslands of Slovakia

Abstract This paper aimed to monitory the dry matter biomass production and carbon stocks of above-and below-ground biomass in five types of grasslands in Slovakia: i) lowland oversowed pasture ii) lowland hay meadows, iii) mesophilous pasture, iv) mountain hay meadows, v) abandoned grassland. Averaged over two cropping seasons the total above-and below-ground biomass differed significantly across the monitored grasslands. It ranged respectively from 2.18 to 7.86 t/ha and from 9.64 to 22.67 t/ha dry matter depending on the pedoclimatic condition and the botanical composition of each grassland type. Consequently, this resulted also in the carbon stocks in above-and below-ground biomass. Generally, the mean carbon stocks were 1.56 t/ha for above-ground biomass (24%) and 4.83 t/ha for below-ground biomass (76%). The botanical composition for all the grassland types was also described. The highest number of plant species (55) was observed in lowland hay meadow located in Slovak Karst, the lowest one (23) for the oversowed grassland located in Eastern Slovak Upland. This monitoring paper showed that semi-natural grassland habitats and improved grasslands as well are an important carbon sink, and they can play a key role in global climate change mitigation.

An Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used in Papantla, Veracruz, Mexico.

An ethnobotanical study was performed to collect information on the use of medicinal plants in Papantla, Veracruz, Mexico. The area has a high number of endemic species, and the social importance of the medicinal plants in the community is essential for public health and the conservation of traditional knowledge. This study identified the medicinal plants currently used, registered traditional knowledge, and documented the patterns of ailments treated in the indigenous communities of Totonacas. A total of 101 medicinal plants belonging to 51 families were described by 85 local informants. Asteraceae was the family with the highest number of plant species identified by these informants. Plant parts are used to treat several ailments, including venomous bites, gastro-intestinal disorders, infectious diseases and other disorders. Informants reported that the most common plant part used was the leaf tissue (55%), and they also took the herbal remedies orally (72%), and decoctions (38%) as well as infusions (29%) were the forms used to prepare these natural remedies. This study provides documentation of medicinal plants used in the Veracruz area of Mexico. Mexican people are still dependent upon medicinal plants, and in order to avoid their loss, certain measures of conservation for medicinal plants are needed.

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in the Hawassa Zuria District, Sidama zone, Southern Ethiopia

BackgroundEthiopia is one of the species-rich countries in the world and the center of origin with regard to the diversity of many plant species. Ethnobotanical studies are vital to investigate these diverse biological resources for medicinal purposes. The aim of this study was to document the indigenous knowledge of the Sidama people regarding the use of medicinal plants to treat human and livestock diseases in the Hawassa Zuria district of Southern Ethiopia.MethodsA total of 150 informants (118 men and 32 women) were selected to collect ethnobotanical information from ten kebeles by means of a stratified purposive sampling method. Among the informants, 30 key informants were selected purposefully. Ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews and group discussions and were analyzed by descriptive statistics, informant consensus factor (ICF), fidelity level (FL), and ranking methods.ResultsA total of 105 medicinal plants distributed across 52 families and 96 genera were collected. Fabaceae (11 species) was represented by the highest number of plant species, followed by Lamiaceae (7 species). Herbs (34%) were the dominant growth habits, followed by trees (33%). Leaves (56%) were the dominant plant part used in the preparation of remedies, followed by fruit (15%). The most common method of remedy preparation was grinding (39%) followed by chewing and boiling (11% each). Oral (74%) was the major routes of administration, followed by dermal (20%). There was a significant knowledge difference (p < 0.05) between social groups regarding the use of traditional medicinal plants. Insects and ectoparasites disease category (0.95) had higher informant consensus factor value followed by fever disease category (0.91). Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (100%) had a higher fidelity level to treat stomachache, followed by Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman. (87.27%) to treat placenta delay. Ensete ventricosum (total score = 73) was ranked highest as the most preferable medicinal plant for various purposes by local people, followed by Olea welwitschii (Knobl.) Gilg (total score = 72).ConclusionThe present study revealed the existence of indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants to treat human and livestock ailments. However, agricultural expansion, firewood collection, environmental degradation, and deforestation are the main threats to medicinal plants. Therefore, there should be mentoring for the local people in the study area to conserve their indigenous knowledge resources and prevent the extinction of medicinal plants.

Zulu medicinal ethnobotany: new records from the Amandawe area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

An ethnobotanical survey at Amandawe in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa with 37 participants has revealed 110 new medicinal species records (ca. 31% of the total of 359 species), 560 newly recorded Zulu vernacular names and name variations (66% of the total of 859 names), 60 newly recorded praise names (88% of the total of 69) and 1106 new use-records (78% of the total of 1423 medicinal uses that were recorded at Amandawe). The Fabaceae and Asteraceae each accounted for 8.6% of the species, far outnumbering the other 98 families recorded. The subcategory ‘tonics’ had the highest number of plant species (156), followed by dermatological (125) and gastro-intestinal (102), while ophthalmic (11), endocrine system (11) and anthelmintics (22) had among the lowest numbers of species. The most popular medicinal plants (as indicated by their Species Popularity Index value) were Cannabis sativa (1.00), Leucas lavandulifolia (1.00), Pittosporum viridiflorum (1.00), Spilanthes mauritiana (1.00) and Tetradenia riparia (0.97), while the most important medicinal plants (as indicated by their Cultural Importance Index values) were Tetradenia riparia (1.84), Spilanthes mauritiana (1.62), Microglossa mespilifolia (1.32) and Leucas lavandulifolia (1.30). Zulu medicinal ethnobotany has long been regarded to be thoroughly documented, yet our findings suggest that contemporary medicinal plant use has not yet been adequately documented.

Ethnopharmacological Field Study of Three Q'eqchi Communities in Guatemala.

Mesoamerica is well known for the Mayan civilization, which flourished in this region during pre-Columbian times and made use of plant diversity for medicinal purposes. Currently, there are 21 Mayan ethnic groups in Guatemala, including the Q'eqchi'. The use of medicinal plants is still prevalent among them, they have been an important medicinal source for the population. The present study aims to compile traditional knowledge of the use of medicinal plants from three Q'eqchi' communities in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala and identify the important medicinal plants that are currently being used to treat relevant diseases. The study also aims to determine the relative importance of the identified species to propose new species for further pharmacological studies. Based on the cultural richness and the low level of perturbation of the vegetation, we selected the Q'eqchi' communities of Sanimtaqá, Santo Domingo de las Cuevas, and Chirrepec in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. There, semi-structured interviews were conducted between June 2013 and December 2014 with common people. Plant-related questions and certain sociocultural contexts of the informants were included. Herbarium specimens for identification were collected with the help of the informants in their gardens with people from each community. The data were analyzed in two forms, the first non-quantitative based on the interpretation of the interviews (emic concepts of diseases) the second by following quantitative methods: informant consensus factor (Fic), Friedman's fidelity index (Fl), and use-reports (Ur). A total of 169 interviews were conducted. One hundred thirty-seven species of plants with medicinal uses were identified, which were described 2,055 times. These species belong to 59 families and 117 genera. Gastrointestinal conditions and pain/fever had the highest number of plant species uses for treatment. The main gastrointestinal conditions included diarrhea (Nume'sa'), stomach pain and worms (Luqum), while the pain/fever classification included headaches (rail jolom), and fevers (Tiq'). The most important cultural condition is called Chaquiq'yaj, the symptoms of the disease; diarrhea, vomiting, fever, lack of appetite, and thirst could be associated with a gastrointestinal. Conclusions: After analyzing the data, we can conclude that; Ageratina ligustrina, Catopheria chiapensis, Baccharis inamoena, Peperomia maculosa, Baccharis salicina, Clinopodium brownei, Calea integrifolia, and Smallanthus maculatus var. maculatus are the most culturally relevant species.