Abstract
Securidaca longepedunculata Fresen, commonly known in Tshivenda as Mpesu, is a widely recognised and used medicinal plant across different cultural groups in South Africa. It is an indigenous medicinal plant, native to the Limpopo and North-West province of South Africa. Moreover, this species holds significant value in African traditional medicine, for its diverse therapeutic uses, including the treatment of fevers, inflammation, and spiritual ailments. As a result, the species is subjected to extensive harvesting and trading, particularly of its roots and stems. Although S. longepedunculata is classified as Least Concern at both national and global scales, the unsustainable overharvesting and the lethal uprooting of S. longepedunculata for medicinal purposes necessitate ongoing monitoring and the implementation of sustainable management measures Although S. longepedunculata is widely used, empirical research on its indigenous knowledge systems, usage patterns, and socio-demographic determinants remains limited. Thus, the current study investigated the level of awareness, frequency of use, and pathways of indigenous knowledge transmission related to S. longepedunculata in Thabazimbi Municipality in the Limpopo Province. The study involved 403 respondents, purposive sampling was employed to sample the population following the Yamane formula, and the respondents were interviewed through structured questionnaires. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was intergraded to explore the socio-demographic predictors of awareness and use of S. longepedunculata. Furthermore, social network analysis (SNA) was employed to examine the flow and structure of indigenous knowledge transmission on the use of S. longepedunculata within the community. Findings revealed that the plant was predominantly used by males aged 30–39, primarily for sexual health purposes. This aphrodisiac use emerged as a key driver for its frequent use and high harvesting pressure. The most commonly used parts were roots and leaves, with boiling as the preferred preparation method. However, reliance on root harvesting raises ecological concerns, as it compromises the plant’s regenerative capacity. The study found that 80% of the sampled population were aware of S. longepedunculata, with age and education emerging as significant predictors of awareness. The SEM recorded middle-aged and older adults, as well as individuals with tertiary education, as the most informed individuals. Although SEM results did not show statistically significant pathways between awareness and other socio-factors (e.g., gender, income, occupation), the findings suggest that indigenous knowledge on the use of medicinal plants is culturally transmitted rather than institutionally driven. The SNA results revealed that friends and community
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members are the primary conduits of knowledge transmission, with older adults acting as central knowledge transmitters. The intergenerational knowledge flow appeared to be weak, potentially due to cultural taboos surrounding sexual health, limiting younger individuals access to indigenous knowledge from the older adults. The study concludes that urgent action is needed to promote sustainable harvesting practices. Local awareness campaigns should be implemented to educate people about the impacts of unsustainable use of natural resources. Community leaders can support conservation by establishing harvesting rules, such as limiting root collection to specific seasons or trained individuals. Further research is needed to better understand the plant’s ecology, bioactive compound for the mostly used parts, and ethnobotanical studies that investigate cognitive uses of the plant and regeneration, under pressure, to inform long-term sustainable use of the plant’s cultural value.