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Papers by Sebsebe Demissew, Prof.

The coffee growing landscape of Ethiopia is varied and complex Coffee farming in Ethiopia takes p... more The coffee growing landscape of Ethiopia is varied and complex Coffee farming in Ethiopia takes place over a vast area, under a wide variety of production systems and various growing conditions, with many different cultivation practices. Coffee growing in Ethiopia has been negatively influenced by climate change and deforestation Feedback from coffee farming communities, and observations on coffee production and coffee plant stress, indicate that climate change has already had a negative impact. In some coffee areas, there has been dramatic forest loss. Relocation of coffee farms/areas will be a key component in building resilience for the Ethiopian coffee economy Many higher altitude areas will become more suitable for coffee production throughout this century. Migration to these areas will be vital for ensuring resilience in the Ethiopian coffee sector. The climate of Africa and Ethiopia has changed and will continue to change throughout this century The climate of Africa and Ethiopia has changed. Ethiopia has experienced an increase in temperature of around 0.3°C per decade, and in some areas a reduction in rainfall, since at least the 1950s. Climate change will continue to impact and alter coffee growing in Ethiopia over the coming decades Many areas that are suitable for coffee growing in the present day will become less suitable in the future, and in some cases unsuitable. Conversely, substantial areas that were previously unsuitable for coffee farming will become suitable. Appropriate adaptation measures could ensure resilience for many coffee farmers On-farm adaptation and improvements in coffee farming practices could ensure resilience for many farmers.

Webbia, Jul 3, 2018

ABSTRACT The vegetation of the plateaux of the Gerire Hills, of unique geology, represents an out... more ABSTRACT The vegetation of the plateaux of the Gerire Hills, of unique geology, represents an outlier of the Transitional semi-evergreen bushland of the eastern escarpment of the Ethiopian highlands, about 160 km from continuously distributed vegetation of this type. In the lowland surrounding the hills is deciduous Acacia-Commiphora bushland, typical of the Somalia-Masai region. Unpublished data from a 1937 Italian expedition documents past existence of Juniperus procera on the plateaux. Three new narrowly endemic species are described here from recently collected material: Croton elkerensis Friis & M.G. Gilbert (Euphorbiaceae), Gnidia elkerensis Friis & Sebsebe (Thymelaeaceae), and Plectranthus spananthus A.J. Paton, Friis & Sebsebe (Lamiaceae). Three previously described species from the hills, Blepharispermum obovatum Chiov. (Asteraceae), Aloe elkerriana Dioli & T.A.McCoy (Aloaceae) and Euphorbia bertemariae Bisseret & Dioli (Euphorbiaceae), are narrow endemics. The species most similar to the bushland endemics occur in a range of vegetation types and phytochoria in East Africa south of Ethiopia or more widespread in Africa. The species most similar to the succulent endemics occur elsewhere in semi-evergreen bushland on limestone at the mountain range in northern Somalia. The Gerire Hills endemics are considered Vulnerable (VU) or Least Concern (LC) given the differing threats to their respective habitats.

Journal of Forestry Research, Apr 8, 2021

Species composition, structure, regeneration, and management status of Jorgo-Wato Forest (JWF) wa... more Species composition, structure, regeneration, and management status of Jorgo-Wato Forest (JWF) was studied. Number of individuals, diameter at breast height (dbh) and height of woody species (dbh ≥ 2.5 cm) were counted and measured in each plot. Group discussions with local farmers residing around JWF were carried out to understand the management of the JWF. Forest structural attributes were computed using descriptive statistics; correlation was used to assess relationships between the structural variables. A total of 4313 individuals (dbh ≥ 2.5 cm) with a density of 1477 ha−1 were recorded, the number of species and individuals decreasing with increasing dbh classes. Species with the highest Importance Value Index (IVI) were Pouteria adolfi-friedericii (37.7), Syzygium guineense subsp. afromontanum (23.6), Dracaena afromontana (20.5), Chionanthus mildbraedii (15.9), and Croton macrostachyus (12.3). Overall distribution of woody plants across size classes exhibited a reverse J-pattern, suggesting a healthy population structure and good regeneration. Nevertheless, some species were not represented in smaller diameter classes, including juvenile phases, which indicate a lack of regeneration. For these species, monitoring and enrichment planting would be necessary, along with curbing illegal cutting and coffee farming in the natural forest. Management interventions in the JWF need to consider livelihood options and to respect the rights of local communities

Ethnobotany Research and Applications, May 22, 2020

Background: The traditional use of medicinal plants for curing and preventing illnesses has been ... more Background: The traditional use of medicinal plants for curing and preventing illnesses has been paramount and widely practiced in Ethiopia for generations. This study was carried out in Gurage zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, Ethiopia. The study aims to document the state of traditional knowledge related to local plant uses for medicine and examine how the communities' value and relate to medicinal plants. Methods: Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews, in which 240 informants were involved. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and ethnobotanical indices, including informant consensus factors (ICF) and use preference were used. Results: A total of 200 medicinal plant species that are used to treat human ailments were documented. Plant families Asteraceae (13%) and Lamiaceae (10%) were predominant whereas the most frequently used plant parts were the leaves, accounting to about 43.8% followed by roots (14%). Indigenous knowledge distribution in the community showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in the study groups for factors of age and educational level. The ICF value obtained which ranges between 0.49 and 0.92 indicates the presence of good agreement among the informants regarding therapeutic uses of reported medicinal plant species. More than 50% of the respondents prefer to use traditional medicine as the first line of treatment. For eight health problems traditional herbal medicines remain dominant and highly preferred treatment, irrespective of the presence of modern health services within short distance from their residence. Conclusions: The richness of medicinal plant species recorded from the study area reflects the dependence of the communities on plant resources of their natural surroundings. Combined effect of various threatening factors are posing threat as a result widely used medicinal plants are becoming locally rare which calls for protecting and developing the resource for wider and better use.

Background: Ethnic groups throughout the world have developed their own cultures expressed in the... more Background: Ethnic groups throughout the world have developed their own cultures expressed in the form of customs, taboos, and traditional healthcare systems. Traditional medicine system is one of the widespread cultures known throughout the world which is very much tied to cultural practices of the community or ethnic group. Medicinal plant treasure found in Gurage and Silti zones remained poorly characterized and understood. Therefore, this study was conducted in four ethnic groups: three from Gurage zone (Gurage, Qebena, and Mareqo) and one from Silti zone (Silti) which have lived in close proximity and contact for many centuries in the respective zones. In the present study, unique and shared cultural elements in connection to traditional herbal medicine were examined through investigation of the diversity of medicinal plants. Moreover, attempts have been made to determine similarities among the society in the medicinal plants they have used in general and in medicinal plant species considered culturally most important. Methods: In a study that involved 320 randomly sampled informants, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation were used and qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Descriptive statistics, rank order priority (ROP), informant consensus factor, Jaccard similarity coefficient, and clustering were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 244 medicinal plant species and a fungal species used to treat human and/or livestock ailments were documented. The number of plants (80 plants, 33 %) with ROP value greater than 50% were considerably fewer than that of plants with ROP < 50% (164, 67 %). Jaccard similarity index and clustering analysis for all cited plants, among the respective studied districts, indicated that grouping generally followed the existing ethnic origin. On the contrary, clustering based on culturally important medicinal plant species (80 plant species, score ROP ≥ 50%) showed the influence of proximity and geographical orientation rather than ethnic relation. Conclusions: Culturally, most important plants (80 spp.) are widely used and best shared with nearby communities and this could imply current (new) knowledge being practiced in the communities. This knowledge must be documented and better utilized in a modern way including modernized use of traditional medicinal plants.

Background: Ethnic groups throughout the world have developed their own cultures expressed in the... more Background: Ethnic groups throughout the world have developed their own cultures expressed in the form of customs, taboos and traditional healthcare systems. Traditional medicine system is one of the widespread cultures known throughout the world which is very much tied to cultural practices of the community or ethnic group. Medicinal plant treasure found in Gurage and Silti Zones remained poorly characterized and understood. Therefore, this study was conducted in four ethnic groups (viz. Gurage, Qebena, Mareqo and Silti) which have lived in close proximity and contact for many centuries in the two Zones. In the present study unique and shared cultural elements in connection to traditional herbal medicine were examined through investigation of the diversity of medicinal plants. Moreover, attempts have been made to determine similarities among the society in the medicinal plants they have used in general and in medicinal plant species considered culturally most important. Methods: In a study that involved 320 randomly samples informants semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation were used and qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Descriptive statistics, rank order priority (ROP), Jaccard similarity coefficient and clustering were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 244 medicinal plant species and a fungal species used to treat human and/or livestock ailments were documented. The number of plants (80 plants, 33 %) with ROP value greater than 50% is considerably smaller than that of plants with ROP < 50% (164, 67 %). Jaccard similarity index and clustering analysis for all cited plants, among the respective studied districts, indicated that grouping generally followed the existing ethnic origin. On the contrary, clustering based on culturally important medicinal plant species (80 plant species, score ROP ≥ 50%) showed the influence of proximity and geographical orientation rather than ethnic relation. Conclusions: Culturally most important plants (80 spp.) are widely used and best shared with nearby communities and this could imply current (new) knowledge being practiced in the community. This knowledge must be documented and better utilized in a modern way including modernized use of traditional medicinal plants.

Research Square (Research Square), Mar 19, 2021

Background Indigenous or traditional herbal medicine has been widely regarded as a resource for s... more Background Indigenous or traditional herbal medicine has been widely regarded as a resource for strengthening the health care systems among communities of low income countries including Ethiopia. The Yem people in Ethiopia have deep-rooted and ancient traditional knowledge of managing human ailments and health conditions using medicinal plants (mps). On the other hand, mps and the associated indigenous knowledge are under erosion due to human-induced and natural factors. Therefore, documenting the plant biodiversity along with the associated indigenous knowledge is of urgent task for conservation. Methods This study was conducted in April, 2013, October, 2016 and July, 2016 with the objective of documenting traditional mps in different land uses that are used for treating human ailments. Ethnobotanical data were collected from 69 informants that were selected by strati ed random sampling and purposive sampling. Vegetation data were obtained from 30, 30x30 m quadrats. Ethnobotanical data were analysed using paired ranking, Informant consensus factor and Fidelity Level index. Results About 213 medicinal plant species that are used for treating 117 human ailments were recorded. ICF calculated depicted a highest ICF value of 0.82 for Gastrointestinal & Visceral organs ailments. Haplocarpha rueppellii, Carduus schimperi and Inula conforti ora each 100%, Maesa lanceolata 80% and Rumex abyssinicus 75%. Vegetation analysis showed three plant communities. Conclusion The Yem people have rich traditional knowledge of utilising plants side by side with the mainstream biomedical system for maintaining human health care.

Foods

In Ethiopia, wild edible plants (WEPs) offer a natural food supply for humans to alleviate food i... more In Ethiopia, wild edible plants (WEPs) offer a natural food supply for humans to alleviate food insecurity and hunger. Despite the extensive usage of WEPs in Ethiopia, there have been few investigations on their nutritional composition. Our study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity and anti-nutritional factors of the most commonly consumed WEPs in Northeastern Ethiopia. The antioxidant parameters including total phenol, total flavonoid, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay contents and the anti-nutritional parameters including oxalate, phytate and tannin contents of the selected seven WEPs were evaluated using standard food analysis techniques. The total phenol (mg GAE/100 g) and total flavonoid (mg QE/100 g) content of WEPs resulted in ranges of 0.79–17.02 and 2.27–7.12, respectively. The antioxidant activity revealed that leaves of Amaranthus hybridus and Rumex nervosus have the highest DPPH and FRAP value, scavenging 50% of free ra...

International Journal of Plant Biology

Wild edible plants (WEPs) are the natural food source that can help to mitigate food insecurity a... more Wild edible plants (WEPs) are the natural food source that can help to mitigate food insecurity and improve starvation in low income countries including Ethiopia. Despite the widespread use of WEPs in Ethiopia, studies on the nutritional contents of Ethiopian WEPs are limited. The objective of the current study is to evaluate the nutritional value (proximate, mineral, and vitamin C contents) of the most consumed seven wild edible plants collected from Lasta District, Northeastern Ethiopia. The nutritional parameters including proximate, macro and micronutrients, and also vitamin C contents of the selected seven wild edible plants were evaluated using standard food analysis methods (moisture by dry-oven method, ash by high-temperature incineration in an electric muffle furnace, fat by Soxhlet extraction procedure, protein by Kjeldahl process, minerals by Atomic absorption spectrometer and atomic emission spectrometry and vitamin C by using a spectrophotometer). One-way ANOVA was used...

International Journal of Forestry Research

Protected areas are the most commonly used tool for in situ conservation of biodiversity. Selecti... more Protected areas are the most commonly used tool for in situ conservation of biodiversity. Selective removal of species proposed by the local communities living surrounding the national park and grazing pressure negatively affect the composition, structure, and regeneration of woody species. Assessment of vegetation structure and regeneration status of woody species is essential for orienting management activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the floristic composition, population structure, and regeneration status of woody species in the Loka Abaya National Park, to design conservation strategies. A total of 99, 20 m × 20 m quadrats were systematically laid along an established line transect to collect a list of woody species, abundance, height, and diameter at breast height (DBH), while five 3 m × 3 m subquadrats within the main quadrats were established to assess the regeneration status of woody species. In each quadrat, all woody species were identified, counted, ...

International Journal of Research -GRANTHAALAYAH

The study was conducted at Anbessa forest in Western Ethiopia with the objectives to make an asse... more The study was conducted at Anbessa forest in Western Ethiopia with the objectives to make an assessment of plant diversity and plant community. A systematic sampling technique was used and a total of 30 sample plots each with 20 x 20 m were laid along the altitudinal gradient. A total of 118 plant species were identified which belong to 93 genera in 46 families. Out of which 14.41 % were Fabaceae (17 species), followed by Asteraceae 11.86 % (14 species), Poaceae 8.47 % (10 species) and Lamiaceae 5.93 % (seven species). Out of the 118 identified plant species, 33.05 % were trees, 11.86 % shrubs, 11.86 % climbers and the rest 43.22 % were herbs. The present study reported nine endemic plant species are present in Anbessa forest. Moreover, 29 plant species were recorded as new records for Wellega floristic region from Anbessa forest. Four plant communities were identified. In Anbessa forest Combretum collinum - Dombeya quinqueseta -Securidaca longepedunculata community was the most div...

BackgroundMany Ethiopians have practiced and still practice home-based medications using various ... more BackgroundMany Ethiopians have practiced and still practice home-based medications using various medicinal plants. This research was aimed to study the composition, distribution, and usage and conservation status of medicinal plants in the Nole Kaba District. MethodsData were gathered through semi-structured interviews, group discussions, and field observations. The analysis employed descriptive statistics and quantitative indices including Factor of Informant Consensus (Fic), Fidelity Level (FL), and Sorenson’s Similarity.ResultsOne hundred sixty-two medicinal plants that belong to 65 families, and 135 genera were documented for use in the treatment of 45 human and 31 animal health problems. The growth forms that comprise high proportions of the medicinal flora were herbs (76, 46.9%) and shrubs (45, 27.8%). Most of the species were distributed in forests and farmlands. Ehretia cymosa (FL = 100%), Pentas schimperiana (FL = 100%), Buddleja polystachya (FL = 100%) Schefflera abyssinic...

Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies, 2016

Background: An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was conducted between October 2013 and Se... more Background: An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was conducted between October 2013 and September 2014 in Tulu Korma and its surrounding areas of Ejere District, West Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to document medicinal plant species of the area and associated ethnobotanical knowledge. Methods: Common ethnobotanical methodologies and techniques were applied. About 156 informants were interviewed. The informants were selected from five visually established sites for sampling. Results: About 138 medicinal plant species belonging to 107 genera and 56 families were recorded. About 76(55.07%) of the medicinal plants were used to treat human aliments, 9(6.52%) animal aliments and 53(38.44%) for both. Conclusion: The study area is very rich in medicinal plant species and indigenous traditional ethnobotanical knowledge. There are also potential threats that need priority for conservation. Potentially significant plant species need screen...

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2020

BackgroundPeople’s classification, management, and use of plants represent attempt to attracting ... more BackgroundPeople’s classification, management, and use of plants represent attempt to attracting people from different academic disciplines. Many countries use traditional medicine for their primary healthcare system. Medicinal plants have been important components of healthcare systems since the time immemorial. The objective of this research was to document and analyze traditional medicinal plants used by the Sheka people and associated ethnobotanical knowledge.MethodsData was collected by administering pre-prepared semi-structured interview items to 414 informants. Market surveys, group discussion, and guided field walk were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics; determination of informant consensus factor, fidelity level, as well as ranking and scoring.ResultsA total of 266 plant species belonging to 192 genera and 74 families were identified. About 204 (77%) of the medicinal plants were used to treat human health problems. Only ten (4%) were used...

Webbia, 2019

Anacampseros specksii Dreher (Anacampserotaceae, in Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea in Portulacacea... more Anacampseros specksii Dreher (Anacampserotaceae, in Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea in Portulacaceae), was described in 2016 from plants grown from seeds collected from Bale, SE Ethiopia. The species was not included in the paper on the Gerire Hills published by the present authors in Webbia in 2018. A. specksii is here considered to be another narrow endemic species in the Gerire Hills, belonging to the group of species that grows on the edges of Monte Ellot and Bur Caddas on sandstone rocks eroding into loose gravel. Anacampseros vespertina, the only other species of Anacampseros in NE tropical Africa, grows on limestone gravel in Somalia near the Indian Ocean, whilst the south tropical African species, A. rhodesica, grows on granite rocks in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa. The conservation assessment in 2016 for A. specksii was Data Deficient (DD) because only one population had been observed and the number of individuals is not known; this assessment is here discussed and maintained.

Sustainability in Environment, 2019

This research was aimed to investigate floristic composition and structure of Kelekal protected f... more This research was aimed to investigate floristic composition and structure of Kelekal protected forest established since 1999. For plant data collection, 33 different quadrnts having 400 m2 along seven different line transect were used. The structural data like Frequencies, Density, DBH, Hight, Relative dominance, Relative density and IVI values were calculated for each species and for the selectedwoody plants. The woody plant species having DBH?2.5 cm and height greater than 2.5 m were measured. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to classify different plant communities. Shannon winner diversity indices and Sorensen’s similarity indices were used to compare the identified plant communities. Endemic and economically important plants were identified from Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea books. This research resulted 103 different vascular plants. Eight (7.77%) plants are endemic and the “K” partitioning in the R program using hierarchical cluster analysis resulted three-plant ...

Kew Bulletin, 2017

A new species of Kalanchoe, K. hypseloleuce Friis & M.G. Gilbert, was found during field work in ... more A new species of Kalanchoe, K. hypseloleuce Friis & M.G. Gilbert, was found during field work in Ethiopia in 2015, and is established here. It is characterised by its tall stature (2-3 m), entire, sessile, lanceolate leaves and white flowers with abaxially minutely papillose corolla lobes (otherwise, the plant is glabrous). It is not obviously related to any previously known species, but an earlier collected, incomplete specimen has been cited as K. prittwitzii Engl. in literature. K. hypseloleuce was collected on limestone in Acacia-Commiphora woodland and bushland at c. 1400 m a.s.l., just below the edge of Transitional semi-evergreen bushland. It occurs in the southern part of the eastern Ethiopian escarpment in Arsi and Eastern Harerghe zones of the Oromo Regional State. Kalanchoe hypseloleuce is documented with images and maps, its climate envelope has been modelled, and a conservation assessment made. With the current level of threat, this could be Vulnerable to Near Threatened (VU-NT). Given the threat from habitat degradation is not imminent, we recommend the species to be listed as Near Threatened (NT). Response to Reviewers: We have accepted almost all the minor corrections proposed by the reviewer. Our reactions to the two main points of the reviewer are as follows: "1) the authors need to make it clear how they have reached the conclusion that the plant is (likely) monocarpic and the degree of certainty over this conclusion (this is currently inconsistent in the paper). This is an important point as it is one of the diagnostic characters for this species and of importance in the genus as a whole." Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation table Click here to download table Table 1.docx Kalanchoe hypseloleuce (Crassulaceae), a new species from eastern Ethiopia, with notes on its habitats

The coffee growing landscape of Ethiopia is varied and complex Coffee farming in Ethiopia takes p... more The coffee growing landscape of Ethiopia is varied and complex Coffee farming in Ethiopia takes place over a vast area, under a wide variety of production systems and various growing conditions, with many different cultivation practices. Coffee growing in Ethiopia has been negatively influenced by climate change and deforestation Feedback from coffee farming communities, and observations on coffee production and coffee plant stress, indicate that climate change has already had a negative impact. In some coffee areas, there has been dramatic forest loss. Relocation of coffee farms/areas will be a key component in building resilience for the Ethiopian coffee economy Many higher altitude areas will become more suitable for coffee production throughout this century. Migration to these areas will be vital for ensuring resilience in the Ethiopian coffee sector. The climate of Africa and Ethiopia has changed and will continue to change throughout this century The climate of Africa and Ethiopia has changed. Ethiopia has experienced an increase in temperature of around 0.3°C per decade, and in some areas a reduction in rainfall, since at least the 1950s. Climate change will continue to impact and alter coffee growing in Ethiopia over the coming decades Many areas that are suitable for coffee growing in the present day will become less suitable in the future, and in some cases unsuitable. Conversely, substantial areas that were previously unsuitable for coffee farming will become suitable. Appropriate adaptation measures could ensure resilience for many coffee farmers On-farm adaptation and improvements in coffee farming practices could ensure resilience for many farmers.

Webbia, Jul 3, 2018

ABSTRACT The vegetation of the plateaux of the Gerire Hills, of unique geology, represents an out... more ABSTRACT The vegetation of the plateaux of the Gerire Hills, of unique geology, represents an outlier of the Transitional semi-evergreen bushland of the eastern escarpment of the Ethiopian highlands, about 160 km from continuously distributed vegetation of this type. In the lowland surrounding the hills is deciduous Acacia-Commiphora bushland, typical of the Somalia-Masai region. Unpublished data from a 1937 Italian expedition documents past existence of Juniperus procera on the plateaux. Three new narrowly endemic species are described here from recently collected material: Croton elkerensis Friis & M.G. Gilbert (Euphorbiaceae), Gnidia elkerensis Friis & Sebsebe (Thymelaeaceae), and Plectranthus spananthus A.J. Paton, Friis & Sebsebe (Lamiaceae). Three previously described species from the hills, Blepharispermum obovatum Chiov. (Asteraceae), Aloe elkerriana Dioli & T.A.McCoy (Aloaceae) and Euphorbia bertemariae Bisseret & Dioli (Euphorbiaceae), are narrow endemics. The species most similar to the bushland endemics occur in a range of vegetation types and phytochoria in East Africa south of Ethiopia or more widespread in Africa. The species most similar to the succulent endemics occur elsewhere in semi-evergreen bushland on limestone at the mountain range in northern Somalia. The Gerire Hills endemics are considered Vulnerable (VU) or Least Concern (LC) given the differing threats to their respective habitats.

Journal of Forestry Research, Apr 8, 2021

Species composition, structure, regeneration, and management status of Jorgo-Wato Forest (JWF) wa... more Species composition, structure, regeneration, and management status of Jorgo-Wato Forest (JWF) was studied. Number of individuals, diameter at breast height (dbh) and height of woody species (dbh ≥ 2.5 cm) were counted and measured in each plot. Group discussions with local farmers residing around JWF were carried out to understand the management of the JWF. Forest structural attributes were computed using descriptive statistics; correlation was used to assess relationships between the structural variables. A total of 4313 individuals (dbh ≥ 2.5 cm) with a density of 1477 ha−1 were recorded, the number of species and individuals decreasing with increasing dbh classes. Species with the highest Importance Value Index (IVI) were Pouteria adolfi-friedericii (37.7), Syzygium guineense subsp. afromontanum (23.6), Dracaena afromontana (20.5), Chionanthus mildbraedii (15.9), and Croton macrostachyus (12.3). Overall distribution of woody plants across size classes exhibited a reverse J-pattern, suggesting a healthy population structure and good regeneration. Nevertheless, some species were not represented in smaller diameter classes, including juvenile phases, which indicate a lack of regeneration. For these species, monitoring and enrichment planting would be necessary, along with curbing illegal cutting and coffee farming in the natural forest. Management interventions in the JWF need to consider livelihood options and to respect the rights of local communities

Ethnobotany Research and Applications, May 22, 2020

Background: The traditional use of medicinal plants for curing and preventing illnesses has been ... more Background: The traditional use of medicinal plants for curing and preventing illnesses has been paramount and widely practiced in Ethiopia for generations. This study was carried out in Gurage zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region, Ethiopia. The study aims to document the state of traditional knowledge related to local plant uses for medicine and examine how the communities' value and relate to medicinal plants. Methods: Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews, in which 240 informants were involved. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and ethnobotanical indices, including informant consensus factors (ICF) and use preference were used. Results: A total of 200 medicinal plant species that are used to treat human ailments were documented. Plant families Asteraceae (13%) and Lamiaceae (10%) were predominant whereas the most frequently used plant parts were the leaves, accounting to about 43.8% followed by roots (14%). Indigenous knowledge distribution in the community showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in the study groups for factors of age and educational level. The ICF value obtained which ranges between 0.49 and 0.92 indicates the presence of good agreement among the informants regarding therapeutic uses of reported medicinal plant species. More than 50% of the respondents prefer to use traditional medicine as the first line of treatment. For eight health problems traditional herbal medicines remain dominant and highly preferred treatment, irrespective of the presence of modern health services within short distance from their residence. Conclusions: The richness of medicinal plant species recorded from the study area reflects the dependence of the communities on plant resources of their natural surroundings. Combined effect of various threatening factors are posing threat as a result widely used medicinal plants are becoming locally rare which calls for protecting and developing the resource for wider and better use.

Background: Ethnic groups throughout the world have developed their own cultures expressed in the... more Background: Ethnic groups throughout the world have developed their own cultures expressed in the form of customs, taboos, and traditional healthcare systems. Traditional medicine system is one of the widespread cultures known throughout the world which is very much tied to cultural practices of the community or ethnic group. Medicinal plant treasure found in Gurage and Silti zones remained poorly characterized and understood. Therefore, this study was conducted in four ethnic groups: three from Gurage zone (Gurage, Qebena, and Mareqo) and one from Silti zone (Silti) which have lived in close proximity and contact for many centuries in the respective zones. In the present study, unique and shared cultural elements in connection to traditional herbal medicine were examined through investigation of the diversity of medicinal plants. Moreover, attempts have been made to determine similarities among the society in the medicinal plants they have used in general and in medicinal plant species considered culturally most important. Methods: In a study that involved 320 randomly sampled informants, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observation were used and qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Descriptive statistics, rank order priority (ROP), informant consensus factor, Jaccard similarity coefficient, and clustering were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 244 medicinal plant species and a fungal species used to treat human and/or livestock ailments were documented. The number of plants (80 plants, 33 %) with ROP value greater than 50% were considerably fewer than that of plants with ROP < 50% (164, 67 %). Jaccard similarity index and clustering analysis for all cited plants, among the respective studied districts, indicated that grouping generally followed the existing ethnic origin. On the contrary, clustering based on culturally important medicinal plant species (80 plant species, score ROP ≥ 50%) showed the influence of proximity and geographical orientation rather than ethnic relation. Conclusions: Culturally, most important plants (80 spp.) are widely used and best shared with nearby communities and this could imply current (new) knowledge being practiced in the communities. This knowledge must be documented and better utilized in a modern way including modernized use of traditional medicinal plants.

Background: Ethnic groups throughout the world have developed their own cultures expressed in the... more Background: Ethnic groups throughout the world have developed their own cultures expressed in the form of customs, taboos and traditional healthcare systems. Traditional medicine system is one of the widespread cultures known throughout the world which is very much tied to cultural practices of the community or ethnic group. Medicinal plant treasure found in Gurage and Silti Zones remained poorly characterized and understood. Therefore, this study was conducted in four ethnic groups (viz. Gurage, Qebena, Mareqo and Silti) which have lived in close proximity and contact for many centuries in the two Zones. In the present study unique and shared cultural elements in connection to traditional herbal medicine were examined through investigation of the diversity of medicinal plants. Moreover, attempts have been made to determine similarities among the society in the medicinal plants they have used in general and in medicinal plant species considered culturally most important. Methods: In a study that involved 320 randomly samples informants semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, participant observation were used and qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Descriptive statistics, rank order priority (ROP), Jaccard similarity coefficient and clustering were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 244 medicinal plant species and a fungal species used to treat human and/or livestock ailments were documented. The number of plants (80 plants, 33 %) with ROP value greater than 50% is considerably smaller than that of plants with ROP < 50% (164, 67 %). Jaccard similarity index and clustering analysis for all cited plants, among the respective studied districts, indicated that grouping generally followed the existing ethnic origin. On the contrary, clustering based on culturally important medicinal plant species (80 plant species, score ROP ≥ 50%) showed the influence of proximity and geographical orientation rather than ethnic relation. Conclusions: Culturally most important plants (80 spp.) are widely used and best shared with nearby communities and this could imply current (new) knowledge being practiced in the community. This knowledge must be documented and better utilized in a modern way including modernized use of traditional medicinal plants.

Research Square (Research Square), Mar 19, 2021

Background Indigenous or traditional herbal medicine has been widely regarded as a resource for s... more Background Indigenous or traditional herbal medicine has been widely regarded as a resource for strengthening the health care systems among communities of low income countries including Ethiopia. The Yem people in Ethiopia have deep-rooted and ancient traditional knowledge of managing human ailments and health conditions using medicinal plants (mps). On the other hand, mps and the associated indigenous knowledge are under erosion due to human-induced and natural factors. Therefore, documenting the plant biodiversity along with the associated indigenous knowledge is of urgent task for conservation. Methods This study was conducted in April, 2013, October, 2016 and July, 2016 with the objective of documenting traditional mps in different land uses that are used for treating human ailments. Ethnobotanical data were collected from 69 informants that were selected by strati ed random sampling and purposive sampling. Vegetation data were obtained from 30, 30x30 m quadrats. Ethnobotanical data were analysed using paired ranking, Informant consensus factor and Fidelity Level index. Results About 213 medicinal plant species that are used for treating 117 human ailments were recorded. ICF calculated depicted a highest ICF value of 0.82 for Gastrointestinal & Visceral organs ailments. Haplocarpha rueppellii, Carduus schimperi and Inula conforti ora each 100%, Maesa lanceolata 80% and Rumex abyssinicus 75%. Vegetation analysis showed three plant communities. Conclusion The Yem people have rich traditional knowledge of utilising plants side by side with the mainstream biomedical system for maintaining human health care.

Foods

In Ethiopia, wild edible plants (WEPs) offer a natural food supply for humans to alleviate food i... more In Ethiopia, wild edible plants (WEPs) offer a natural food supply for humans to alleviate food insecurity and hunger. Despite the extensive usage of WEPs in Ethiopia, there have been few investigations on their nutritional composition. Our study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant activity and anti-nutritional factors of the most commonly consumed WEPs in Northeastern Ethiopia. The antioxidant parameters including total phenol, total flavonoid, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric Antioxidant Power (FRAP) assay contents and the anti-nutritional parameters including oxalate, phytate and tannin contents of the selected seven WEPs were evaluated using standard food analysis techniques. The total phenol (mg GAE/100 g) and total flavonoid (mg QE/100 g) content of WEPs resulted in ranges of 0.79–17.02 and 2.27–7.12, respectively. The antioxidant activity revealed that leaves of Amaranthus hybridus and Rumex nervosus have the highest DPPH and FRAP value, scavenging 50% of free ra...

International Journal of Plant Biology

Wild edible plants (WEPs) are the natural food source that can help to mitigate food insecurity a... more Wild edible plants (WEPs) are the natural food source that can help to mitigate food insecurity and improve starvation in low income countries including Ethiopia. Despite the widespread use of WEPs in Ethiopia, studies on the nutritional contents of Ethiopian WEPs are limited. The objective of the current study is to evaluate the nutritional value (proximate, mineral, and vitamin C contents) of the most consumed seven wild edible plants collected from Lasta District, Northeastern Ethiopia. The nutritional parameters including proximate, macro and micronutrients, and also vitamin C contents of the selected seven wild edible plants were evaluated using standard food analysis methods (moisture by dry-oven method, ash by high-temperature incineration in an electric muffle furnace, fat by Soxhlet extraction procedure, protein by Kjeldahl process, minerals by Atomic absorption spectrometer and atomic emission spectrometry and vitamin C by using a spectrophotometer). One-way ANOVA was used...

International Journal of Forestry Research

Protected areas are the most commonly used tool for in situ conservation of biodiversity. Selecti... more Protected areas are the most commonly used tool for in situ conservation of biodiversity. Selective removal of species proposed by the local communities living surrounding the national park and grazing pressure negatively affect the composition, structure, and regeneration of woody species. Assessment of vegetation structure and regeneration status of woody species is essential for orienting management activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the floristic composition, population structure, and regeneration status of woody species in the Loka Abaya National Park, to design conservation strategies. A total of 99, 20 m × 20 m quadrats were systematically laid along an established line transect to collect a list of woody species, abundance, height, and diameter at breast height (DBH), while five 3 m × 3 m subquadrats within the main quadrats were established to assess the regeneration status of woody species. In each quadrat, all woody species were identified, counted, ...

International Journal of Research -GRANTHAALAYAH

The study was conducted at Anbessa forest in Western Ethiopia with the objectives to make an asse... more The study was conducted at Anbessa forest in Western Ethiopia with the objectives to make an assessment of plant diversity and plant community. A systematic sampling technique was used and a total of 30 sample plots each with 20 x 20 m were laid along the altitudinal gradient. A total of 118 plant species were identified which belong to 93 genera in 46 families. Out of which 14.41 % were Fabaceae (17 species), followed by Asteraceae 11.86 % (14 species), Poaceae 8.47 % (10 species) and Lamiaceae 5.93 % (seven species). Out of the 118 identified plant species, 33.05 % were trees, 11.86 % shrubs, 11.86 % climbers and the rest 43.22 % were herbs. The present study reported nine endemic plant species are present in Anbessa forest. Moreover, 29 plant species were recorded as new records for Wellega floristic region from Anbessa forest. Four plant communities were identified. In Anbessa forest Combretum collinum - Dombeya quinqueseta -Securidaca longepedunculata community was the most div...

BackgroundMany Ethiopians have practiced and still practice home-based medications using various ... more BackgroundMany Ethiopians have practiced and still practice home-based medications using various medicinal plants. This research was aimed to study the composition, distribution, and usage and conservation status of medicinal plants in the Nole Kaba District. MethodsData were gathered through semi-structured interviews, group discussions, and field observations. The analysis employed descriptive statistics and quantitative indices including Factor of Informant Consensus (Fic), Fidelity Level (FL), and Sorenson’s Similarity.ResultsOne hundred sixty-two medicinal plants that belong to 65 families, and 135 genera were documented for use in the treatment of 45 human and 31 animal health problems. The growth forms that comprise high proportions of the medicinal flora were herbs (76, 46.9%) and shrubs (45, 27.8%). Most of the species were distributed in forests and farmlands. Ehretia cymosa (FL = 100%), Pentas schimperiana (FL = 100%), Buddleja polystachya (FL = 100%) Schefflera abyssinic...

Journal of Medicinal Plants Studies, 2016

Background: An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was conducted between October 2013 and Se... more Background: An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was conducted between October 2013 and September 2014 in Tulu Korma and its surrounding areas of Ejere District, West Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to document medicinal plant species of the area and associated ethnobotanical knowledge. Methods: Common ethnobotanical methodologies and techniques were applied. About 156 informants were interviewed. The informants were selected from five visually established sites for sampling. Results: About 138 medicinal plant species belonging to 107 genera and 56 families were recorded. About 76(55.07%) of the medicinal plants were used to treat human aliments, 9(6.52%) animal aliments and 53(38.44%) for both. Conclusion: The study area is very rich in medicinal plant species and indigenous traditional ethnobotanical knowledge. There are also potential threats that need priority for conservation. Potentially significant plant species need screen...

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2020

BackgroundPeople’s classification, management, and use of plants represent attempt to attracting ... more BackgroundPeople’s classification, management, and use of plants represent attempt to attracting people from different academic disciplines. Many countries use traditional medicine for their primary healthcare system. Medicinal plants have been important components of healthcare systems since the time immemorial. The objective of this research was to document and analyze traditional medicinal plants used by the Sheka people and associated ethnobotanical knowledge.MethodsData was collected by administering pre-prepared semi-structured interview items to 414 informants. Market surveys, group discussion, and guided field walk were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics; determination of informant consensus factor, fidelity level, as well as ranking and scoring.ResultsA total of 266 plant species belonging to 192 genera and 74 families were identified. About 204 (77%) of the medicinal plants were used to treat human health problems. Only ten (4%) were used...

Webbia, 2019

Anacampseros specksii Dreher (Anacampserotaceae, in Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea in Portulacacea... more Anacampseros specksii Dreher (Anacampserotaceae, in Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea in Portulacaceae), was described in 2016 from plants grown from seeds collected from Bale, SE Ethiopia. The species was not included in the paper on the Gerire Hills published by the present authors in Webbia in 2018. A. specksii is here considered to be another narrow endemic species in the Gerire Hills, belonging to the group of species that grows on the edges of Monte Ellot and Bur Caddas on sandstone rocks eroding into loose gravel. Anacampseros vespertina, the only other species of Anacampseros in NE tropical Africa, grows on limestone gravel in Somalia near the Indian Ocean, whilst the south tropical African species, A. rhodesica, grows on granite rocks in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa. The conservation assessment in 2016 for A. specksii was Data Deficient (DD) because only one population had been observed and the number of individuals is not known; this assessment is here discussed and maintained.

Sustainability in Environment, 2019

This research was aimed to investigate floristic composition and structure of Kelekal protected f... more This research was aimed to investigate floristic composition and structure of Kelekal protected forest established since 1999. For plant data collection, 33 different quadrnts having 400 m2 along seven different line transect were used. The structural data like Frequencies, Density, DBH, Hight, Relative dominance, Relative density and IVI values were calculated for each species and for the selectedwoody plants. The woody plant species having DBH?2.5 cm and height greater than 2.5 m were measured. A hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to classify different plant communities. Shannon winner diversity indices and Sorensen’s similarity indices were used to compare the identified plant communities. Endemic and economically important plants were identified from Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea books. This research resulted 103 different vascular plants. Eight (7.77%) plants are endemic and the “K” partitioning in the R program using hierarchical cluster analysis resulted three-plant ...

Kew Bulletin, 2017

A new species of Kalanchoe, K. hypseloleuce Friis & M.G. Gilbert, was found during field work in ... more A new species of Kalanchoe, K. hypseloleuce Friis & M.G. Gilbert, was found during field work in Ethiopia in 2015, and is established here. It is characterised by its tall stature (2-3 m), entire, sessile, lanceolate leaves and white flowers with abaxially minutely papillose corolla lobes (otherwise, the plant is glabrous). It is not obviously related to any previously known species, but an earlier collected, incomplete specimen has been cited as K. prittwitzii Engl. in literature. K. hypseloleuce was collected on limestone in Acacia-Commiphora woodland and bushland at c. 1400 m a.s.l., just below the edge of Transitional semi-evergreen bushland. It occurs in the southern part of the eastern Ethiopian escarpment in Arsi and Eastern Harerghe zones of the Oromo Regional State. Kalanchoe hypseloleuce is documented with images and maps, its climate envelope has been modelled, and a conservation assessment made. With the current level of threat, this could be Vulnerable to Near Threatened (VU-NT). Given the threat from habitat degradation is not imminent, we recommend the species to be listed as Near Threatened (NT). Response to Reviewers: We have accepted almost all the minor corrections proposed by the reviewer. Our reactions to the two main points of the reviewer are as follows: "1) the authors need to make it clear how they have reached the conclusion that the plant is (likely) monocarpic and the degree of certainty over this conclusion (this is currently inconsistent in the paper). This is an important point as it is one of the diagnostic characters for this species and of importance in the genus as a whole." Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation table Click here to download table Table 1.docx Kalanchoe hypseloleuce (Crassulaceae), a new species from eastern Ethiopia, with notes on its habitats