Traditional knowledge, use and conservation of plants by the communities of Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya

doi:10.1016/j.pld.2020.12.004

Abstract

Abstract: Rural communities in Kenya largely depend on plant resources for their livelihood. The utilization of these resources depends on the availability of plant resources and the level of knowledge of the residents. We conducted an ethnobotanical study in Tharaka-Nithi County in Kenya to determine the knowledge and utilization of various plant species by the local communities. The study was conducted in four major administrative regions from June 2018 to February 2019, involving interview schedules using semi-structured open-ended questionnaires and guided field collections with 48 informants. A total of 214 plant species distributed in 73 families and 169 genera with 616 Use Reports (URs) were documented. Fabaceae was the highest family cited by the informants (31 species) followed by Lamiaceae and Euphorbiaceae (each with 11 species). Trees (49%) and shrubs (32%) were the top life forms of the plants frequently utilized by the local residents. The general plant uses reported were medicinal, food, fodder, construction, fuel, pesticidal, religious, live fencing, and making crafts. Zanthoxylum gilletii, Prunus africana, and Solanum incanum were found to be highly valued by the local communities. Plant utilization as food and medicinal uses against snake-bite related problems had the highest Informant Consensus Factor (ICF). Only 29 (13.6%) of the species reported had their status assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Conservation measures, alongside awareness creation in this region, are highly recommended for the species endemic to the region, highly depended on by the community, and those threatened according to IUCN standards.

Key words: Conservation, Indigenous knowledge, Medicinal plants, Nutrition, Tharaka-Nithi

Vivian Kathambi, Fredrick Munyao Mutie, Peninah Cheptoo Rono, Neng Wei, Jacinta Ndunge Munyao, Peris Kamau, Robert Wahiti Gituru, Guang-Wan Hu, Qing-Feng Wang. Traditional knowledge, use and conservation of plants by the communities of Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya[J]. Plant Diversity, 2020, 42(06): 479-487.

Figures/Tables 5

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微生境因子 Micro-habitat factors	最大值 Maximum value	最小值 Minimum value	平均值 Mean	标准差 Standard deviation
冠层开度 Canopy openness (%)	35.31	2.58	9.09	3.86
海拔 Elevation (m)	572.28	321.89	441.87	53.9
坡度 Slope (°)	82.65	4.00	35.08	11.98
坡向 Aspect (°)	318.92	30.00	185.93	54.86
草本覆盖度 Herbaceous coverage (%)	100.00	0.00	20.76	24.94
全氮 Total nitrogen (g/kg)	10.04	0.95	3.15	1.27
全磷 Total phosphorus (g/kg)	0.79	0.02	0.26	0.13
pH值 pH value	5.26	3.50	4.14	0.25

微生境因子 Micro-habitat factors	最大值 Maximum value	最小值 Minimum value	平均值 Mean	标准差 Standard deviation
冠层开度 Canopy openness (%)	35.31	2.58	9.09	3.86
海拔 Elevation (m)	572.28	321.89	441.87	53.9
坡度 Slope (°)	82.65	4.00	35.08	11.98
坡向 Aspect (°)	318.92	30.00	185.93	54.86
草本覆盖度 Herbaceous coverage (%)	100.00	0.00	20.76	24.94
全氮 Total nitrogen (g/kg)	10.04	0.95	3.15	1.27
全磷 Total phosphorus (g/kg)	0.79	0.02	0.26	0.13
pH值 pH value	5.26	3.50	4.14	0.25

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