Abstract:
People have long histories on the uses of traditional medicinal plants for medical purposes in
the world, and nowadays, this is highly promoted. About eighty percent of the Ethiopian
population and ninty percent of livestock still depend on traditional medicine to diseases.
Ethnobotany tries to find out how local people have traditionally used plants for various
purposes. The objective of this research was to document and identify indigenous knowledge of
East Belessa community on traditional medicinal plants. Medicinal plants habitat, habit
distribution, vernacular names, method of preparation, mode of administration using face to
face interview, group discussion and field observation. A total of 100 informants (60 males and
40 females) 10 from each kebele, with to ages ranged from 20 to 90 years were selected from ten
sampled kebeles. Of these, 45 key informants (30 males and 15 females) were selected purposely
and snowball (non-probability) whereas 55 general informants (30 males and 25 females) were
selected randomly (probability). Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and detailed
ethnobotanical analytical tools including preference ranking, informant consensus factor (ICF),
Fidelity level and Jacquard’s Similarity Index (JSI). A total of 72 plant species; of which 42
species from the wild vegetation, 12 species from home garden and 18 from both habitats, were
identified. They belonged to 61 genera and 50 families. From these, 49 species were were used
for the treatment of human health problems, and 15 species for the treatment of both human and
livestock diseases. Fabaceae (8.33%) were the most reported medicinal plant. Most important
and better curative medicinal plants harvested from tree epiphytes but their availability is very
limited. Shrubs were found the highest plant life forms. The most frequently used plant parts
were leaves (37.93%) followed by root (26.44%). The most widely used method of preparation
was crushing (67.86%) followed by pounding (13.10%). Oral use was the commonest (48.44%)
administration route followed by dermal use (22.66%). The most commonly used application of
medicinal plant was drinking (44.44%) followed by creaming (18.80%). Traditional medicine
preparation mostly involved single and mainly crushed the part used. Most medicines were
mixed with water. The main factors to loss of plant species in the study area were agricultural
expansion, fire wood, charcoal, construction and drought. Ensuring sustainable use of plants
particularly medicinal plants awareness raising of the community to develop the proper habit of
use and replacement is highly recommended.
Keywords: fidelity level, Indigenous knowledge, informant consensus, medicinal plant,
traditional healers
