Ethnobotanical study on medicinal plant knowledge among three ethnic groups in peri-urban areas of south-central Ethiopia

A study of the Gedeo Cultural Landscape in south-central Ethiopia reveals significant cultural differences in medicinal plant knowledge among three ethnic groups—Sidama, Gedeo, and Oromo—in peri-urban areas. Researchers documented 189 therapeutic plants across these groups, with herbs (36%) being the most commonly used, followed by shrubs (31%), trees (27%), and climbers (7%). The study found notable disparities in ethnobotanical knowledge, particularly between Oromo and Sidama (63.8% disparity) and Gedeo and Oromo (63.2% disparity). Croton macrostachyus was identified as a highly valued medicinal plant among the Gedeo and Oromo groups, while Zingiber officinale held prominence in the Sidama group. The findings underscore the potential for pharmacological investigations while emphasizing the need to document indigenous knowledge to prevent its loss. The research employed semistructured questionnaires, interviews with 189 key informants, floristic inventories, and field observations, alongside cultural importance indices and Rahman's similarity indices for analysis.

Tamene, S., Negash, M., Makonda, F. B., Chiwona-Karltun, L., & Kibret, K. S. (2023). Ethnobotanical study on medicinal plant knowledge among three ethnic groups in peri-urban areas of south-central Ethiopia. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-023-00629-w