Prioritising Medicinal Plants for Sustainable Management in a High-Andean Community of Peru: A Cultural–Environmental Index

Local Knowledges and Plants Conservation in Two Communities in the Menoua Division (Western Cameroon)

Introduction: Rural communities in the Menoua Division (West Region, Cameroon) rely heavily on plant biodiversity for healthcare, nutrition, and socioeconomic needs. However, changing lifestyles and ecosystem degradation threaten the sustainability of these resources and the transmission of associated traditional knowledge. Objective: This study aimed to inventory useful plant species in the Bafou and Baloum communities and to document their associated traditional uses. Methodology: Semi-structured and structured interviews were conducted with 120 informants. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including Frequency of Citation (FC) and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), were applied to analyse traditional medicinal and food plant uses. Results: A total of 110 medicinal species were identified for 34 ailments across 12 organ systems, predominantly digestive disorders (35.3%) and systemic/infectious diseases (26.5%). Leaves (~50%) were the primary plant part harvested, decoction was the main preparation method, and oral administration predominated. High agreement was found for abdominal pain (ICF = 0.7 in Bafou and 1.0 in Baloum) and malaria (ICF = 0.8 in Baloum). Older adults (≥50 years) were identified as the primary custodians of this knowledge. A total of 93 edible species were recorded, led by Musa paradisiaca L., Zea mays L., and Allium cepa L., which had the highest frequencies of citation. Conclusion: These findings provide a foundation for pharmacological validation and highlight important components of nutritional resilience in rural populations. The concentration of traditional knowledge among older generations underscores the need for continued documentation to reduce the risk of knowledge erosion.

Ethnobotanical Inventory of Banten Local Food Plants: Strategic Reconstruction into Ethnoscience-Based Biology Instructional Materials

The botanical diversity found in Indonesia is contrasted by the country’s dependency on imported foodstuffs. This paper aims to conduct an ethnobotanical survey of local food plants found in Banten Province, Indonesia, and develop a pedagogical reconstruction concept model that incorporates TEK into biology lessons at secondary and tertiary levels. An ethnobotanical survey of local food plants was carried out in March to May 2026 in the coastal, lowland agroforestry, and highland ecosystems of Pandeglang, Lebak, Serang, and Cilegon regions. Data were gathered using purposeful sampling through field observations, specimen collection, semi-structured interviews involving 45 local informants (elderlies, farmers, and indigenous community leaders), and secondary literature validation. Species recorded were identified taxonomically using Plants of the World Online (POWO) database and categorized in core biological subjects within TPACK framework. The ethnobotanical survey revealed 32 species of local food plants belonging to 7 functional groups. Some of the important findings include the underexploitation of valuable functional species like Xanthosoma undipes (Taro Beneng; starch 80.6%, GI 48) and Sonneratia caseolaris (Pedada), as well as species requiring conservation efforts, like Garcinia dulcis (Mundu) and Baccaurea racemosa (Jatake). The cyanogenic detoxification of Dioscorea hispida and the Leuit post-harvesting storage practice of indigenous people were conceptually linked to biochemistry, plant physiology, ecology, and taxonomy lessons. In order to translate traditional knowledge into a form compatible with contemporary digital learning, the framework considers the use of future AI-supported smart identification through the use of the Pl@ntNet API.

Ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants among Oromo communities in Aseko District, Arsi Zone, southeast Ethiopia

Wild edible plants (WEPs) contribute substantially to dietary diversity, food security, and cultural identity in rural Ethiopia. Despite their ecological, nutritional, and socioeconomic importance, they remain insufficiently documented and inadequately incorporated into national food security and biodiversity conservation policies. This study documents the diversity of WEPs and associated Oromo traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in Aseko District, Arsi Zone, southeastern Ethiopia. Ethnobotanical data were collected from 206 informants (35 key informants and 171 general informants) across six kebeles representing lowland, midland, and highland agroecological zones. Data collection employed semi-structured interviews, key informant interviews, guided field walks, and participant observation. Plant species were taxonomically verified using Plants of the World Online (POWO) and World Flora Online (WFO) following the APG IV classification system. Quantitative ethnobotanical indices, including Use Value (UV), Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) and Fidelity Level (FL), were calculated. Descriptive statistics, Generalized Linear Modeling (GLM), and qualitative thematic analyses were used to evaluate ethnobotanical knowledge and utilization patterns. A total of 70 wild edible plant species belonging to 58 genera and 32 families were documented. Fabaceae (15.7%, n  = 11) and Malvaceae (5.7%, n  = 4) were the most represented families. Fruits (42.9%, n  = 30) and famine-reserve foods (20.0%, n  = 14) constituted the dominant use categories. Indigenous safety practices including ripeness assessment, boiling, roasting, and fermentation demonstrated culturally developed risk-management strategies for safe consumption. Generalized Linear Modeling revealed that older age (IRR = 1.04, p  < 0.001) and key informant status (IRR = 2.15, p  < 0.001) were significant positive predictors of species knowledge. Agricultural expansion (67.3%) and fuelwood extraction (52.6%) were identified as the most severe perceived threats to WEP resources. Wild edible plants remain integral components of local food systems in Aseko District. Strengthening the protection of indigenous ecological knowledge, promoting community-based conservation initiatives, and integrating traditional safety practices into food security and biodiversity conservation policies are essential for sustaining resilient livelihoods under changing environmental conditions.

Ethnobotanical and conservation assessment on medicinal plants at Zegie Peninsula and neighboring islands of Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve, Ethiopia

Background : Ethiopia is part of the East Afromontane biodiversity hotspot and harbors rich ethnobotanical knowledge closely linked to high plant diversity. In the Zegie Peninsula and the monastic islands of Lake Tana, medicinal plants remain central to primary healthcare and local livelihoods. However, increasing anthropogenic pressure threatens both medicinal plant resources and associated indigenous knowledge systems. This study documents medicinal plant diversity as well as their use patterns, and assesses threats to plant resources and knowledge transmission in the bioculturally unique and important ecosystem network at the Lake Tana region. Methods : Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and guided field walks. Informant consensus factor (ICF) was calculated to assess agreement on plant use among disease categories. Fidelity level (FL) was used to identify culturally important specialist species. Statistical tests were applied to examine relationships between ethnobotanical knowledge and socio-demographic variables. Results : A total of 81 medicinal plant species belonging to 70 genera and 47 families were recorded. Shrubs and trees dominated the medicinal flora, indicating strong reliance on perennial species with year-round availability. High ICF values were recorded for common colds, wounds, and skin infections, reflecting strong consensus on effective remedies. FL analysis identified key specialist species, including Citrus aurantiifolia for respiratory ailments, Ocimum lamiifolium for acute febrile illness, Ximenia americana for wound treatment, and Withania somnifera for prioritized conditions. Generalist species such as Croton macrostachyus , Carissa spinarum , and Calpurnia aurea were used across multiple disease categories. Ethnobotanical knowledge showed significant positive associations with age, occupation, and informant type, while gender differences were minimal. Major threats included fuelwood collection, selective logging, agricultural expansion, settlement growth, and destructive harvesting. Conclusion : Medicinal plant use in the Lake Tana region reflects strong cultural reliance but increasing ecological vulnerability. Integrated, community-based conservation and intergenerational knowledge transmission strategies are urgently needed to sustain medicinal plant diversity and indigenous healthcare systems.

Ethnobotanical documentation of plant resources used for women’s healthcare in Sahiwal division, Punjab, Pakistan

Tradition Beyond the Hotspot: Biocultural Conservation and Medicinal Plant Diversity in the Ilha Grande National Park, Brazil

The Ilha Grande National Park region (Brazil) holds one of the most diverse traditional knowledge repositories among Atlantic Forest conservation areas. This study describes the current composition of the medicinal plant knowledge, its taxonomic breadth, and its relevance for conservation. In 2026, this inventory documented 47 species from 33 botanical families cited across a sample of 4 remaining traditional healers. About 27.7% of these specimens are wild/native to nature and 72.3% are cultivated, reflecting both historic management and the residents’ long tradition in household plant acclimatization. The collection includes 25 species of herbs and 11 species of trees, as well as 9 shrubs and 2 climbers. Quantitative analysis at the category level revealed that gastrointestinal disorders had the highest consensus index (ICF = 0.375) after interviews, taxonomic revision, data grouping, and standardizing nomenclature based on the British National Formulary. The results reveal a severe risk of information erosion and a limited representation of younger generations among practitioners, underscoring the need for targeted safeguarding. Strengthening national partnerships, developing cooperative cultivation networks, and improving scientific validation records are proposed as key strategies to enhance the biocultural preservation value of this traditional heritage. Overall, the Ilha Grande healer knowledge serves as an important scientific, educational, and pharmacological resource and plays a central role in advancing the preservation of Brazil’s medicinal plant diversity.