Ethnobotanical documentation and conservation assessment of medicinal plants used by the Somali community in Karamara forest patches, Eastern Ethiopia.

backgroundTraditional medicinal knowledge is central to healthcare and cultural identity in Ethiopia, particularly in the Somali Region, where plant-based remedies are widely used. Despite its importance, this knowledge remains underdocumented. This study aims to fill this gap by documenting the medicinal plants (MPs) used by the Somali community in the Karamara forest patches of eastern Ethiopia, focusing on their cultural significance, conservation status, and role in local healthcare. It also highlights the need to preserve both the knowledge and the threatened ecosystems that support it.

methodsData were collected from 64 informants (40 men and 24 women) through semi-structured interviews, field walks, and focus group discussions conducted from February to June 2023. To evaluate the cultural importance and reliability of plant use, several ethnobotanical indices, including Use Value (UV), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), and Fidelity Level (FL), were applied. Voucher plant specimens were gathered, identified using the Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea, and authenticated at the National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University. The similarity of plant usage across different Ethiopian regions was assessed using Jaccard's index. Statistical analyses, such as t-tests, ANOVA, and correlation tests, were performed using R software to examine variations in knowledge across different demographic groups.

resultsA total of 85 medicinal plant species belonging to 70 genera and 40 families were documented. Fabaceae, Solanaceae, and Asteraceae were the dominant families. Shrubs were the most frequently used growth form. The majority of remedies were prepared from leaves and administered orally. Wounds, malaria, stomach disorders, and snake bites were the most commonly treated ailments, showing high informant consensus. High ICF values were observed for dermatological (0.85) and gastrointestinal (0.83). Euphorbia abyssinica J.F.Gmel., Cyphostemma adenocaule (Steud. ex A.Rich.), and Moringa stenopetala (Baker f.) Cufod. exhibited high FL, while Cleome kelleriana (Schinz) Gilg & Gilg-Ben. and Aloe megalacantha Baker were prioritized for malaria treatment. Major threats to MPs included agricultural expansion, overharvesting, and firewood collection. Ethnobotanical knowledge varied significantly by informant groups (P < 0.05).

conclusionThe Somali community around Karamara forest possesses rich ethnomedicinal knowledge vital for local healthcare and biodiversity conservation. Sustainable management, pharmacological validation, and intergenerational knowledge transfer are urgently needed to safeguard this cultural and biological heritage.