Abstract
M.Sc. (Environmental Management)
Wild plant species play a major role in the lives of people around the world. South Africa has vast indigenous plant biodiversity, of which some have ethnobotanical importance. However, there is a growing loss and erosion of indigenous knowledge related to plant species due to rapid emigration of people from rural to urban areas, the adoption of modern lifestyles by largely traditional societies, growing access to modern education and health services, and so on. Making use of surveys and questionnaire interviews, this case study investigated ethnobotanical knowledge in the Makhado Local Municipality in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The following research objectives were formulated for the study: (1) to provide a comprehensive inventory of all used wild plant species in and around selected rural villages in the Makhado Local Municipality; (2) to determine their local uses and knowledge patterns; and (3) to make recommendations for natural resource management in this area.
From this case study, people in the Makhado Local Municipality utilize wild plants for various purposes including, but not limited to the following uses: (1) as traditional medicine, (2) for satisfying dietary needs, as well as spiritual and cultural values, (3) for income-generation, (4) for designing crafts and household implements, and (5) for fuel wood energy. Most of these uses stem from a system of localized indigenous knowledge or traditional ecological knowledge, which unfortunately is being eroded at faster rates due to changing lifestyles, even in remotely located rural communities. More importantly, an inventory of 58 different plant species was generated. All 58 plants were quantified for their popularity by using a matrix method. The study listed the following plants species as some of the well known species: Aloe marlothii, Berchemia discolor, Sclerocarya birrea, Adansonia digitate, Ximenia Americana, Dicerocaryum senecioides, Opuntia ficus-indica, Euphorbia ingens, Dichrostachys cinerea and Ficus sycomorus. In addition, the study also found that some wild plants were becoming rare and very scarce in their distributional range due to factors such as deforestation, over-exploitation of certain plants, unsustainable harvesting practices, growth of informal and formal settlements, changing weather patterns as well as overgrazing. However, none of the plant species mentioned by respondents were found to be endangered or critical endangered as they were of least conservation concern based on the South African Red Data List.