Research Journal of Biological Sciences
ISSN: Online 1993-6087ISSN: Print 1815-8846
Abstract
This ethnobotanical study was carried out to identify and document medicinal plant practice in the Abeshige district, Gurage Zone of SNNP Region. Ethnobotanical information of medicinal plants was gathered through a semi-structured interview, field observation, group discussion and market survey. A total of 89 medicinal plants belonging to 47 families were reported and documented. Out of these medicinal plants, 75 species (84.26%) were reported to treat human aliments, 9 species (10.11%) livestock ailments and 5 species (5.67%) both human and livestock ailments. About 70 species (78.65%) of the plant taxa were collected from the wild and 17 species (19.1%) from home gardens and the remaining 2 species (2.25%) were collected from both wild and home garden. Herbs were found to be the most widely used life forms and this accounts for 33 species (37.1%) followed by 26species (29.2%) shrub and 20 species (22.5%) tree. The most frequently used plant parts were reported to be the leaves which was 40 taxa (44.94%) and then the roots 24 taxa (26.96%). Crushing and pounding a single plant part or a mixture of plant parts of different taxa widely used method of preparation. The different use categories of medicinal plant in the area included food, firewood, charcoal, construction and furniture. Religious teachings, Agricultural expansion, overgrazing, fire wood collection, charcoal production, cutting down trees for construction and furniture were major conservation threats which leads to the loss of indigenous knowledge. But some people were found to protect medicinal plants in home garden and agricultural fields. Therefore, in addition to the aforementioned positive attitude of the local communities supplementary environmental education with regard to sustainable uses of medicinal plants could be useful.
How to cite this article:
Dagne Abebe and Belachew Garedew. Utilization of Traditional Medicinal Plants and Management in Darge-Walga Town, Abeshige
District, Gurage Zone, Ethiopia.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36478/rjbsci.2020.112.123
URL: https://www.makhillpublications.co/view-article/1815-8846/rjbsci.2020.112.123