Open AccessEthnobotanical knowledge of Desplatsia dewevrei (De Wild. & T. Durand) Burretby the Bini Tribe Edo State, Nigeria
Author(s) -
Ovuakporie- UvoOghale,
MacDonald Idu
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of ayurvedic and herbal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2454-5023
DOI - 10.31254/jahm.2017.3306
Subject(s) - ethnobotany , tribe , traditional knowledge , indigenous , endangered species , socioeconomics , sustainability , geography , traditional medicine , ethnology , medicinal plants , sociology , medicine , ecology , anthropology , biology , demography , population
This study presents the ethnobotanical knowledge and uses of Desplatsiadewevrei amongst the bini tribe of Edo State. Using a non-structured (open-ended) questionnaire and oral interviews, ninety-one unknowledgeable and eighty knowledgeable and willing respondents; 65 locals and 15 herbalists from 42 bini speaking villages were interviewed between August 2015 and December 2016. Most of the respondents were women who claim the plant is majorly useful as food while some herbalists mention its usefulness in the management of convulsion, headaches, febrifuge and general pains. Laboratory studies to validate these claims are recommended so that this scarce species can be cultivated and sustainably used guided by indigenous knowledge of the plants’ use. This will prevent the plant from being endangered as information on the availability and use of Desplatsia dewevrei is currently sparse as can be inferred from the ratio of knowledgeable and unknowledgeable respondents in this field research.