An Ethno Botanical Study Of Medicinal Plants In Farta Weredasouth Gonder Zone Of Amhara Region Ethiopia

An Ethnobotanical study on medicinal plant was carried out in Farta Weredarnwhich is found in South Gonder Zone of the Amhara National Regional State that is about 666rnkm away from north of Addis Ababa. The objective of the study is to conduct ethnobotanicalrninvestigation in the area in order to compile and document medicinally important plants inrnaccordance with their traditional practice. The study has been carried out from October 20,rn2009 to May 5, 2010 to get valuable information from 20 randomly selected kebeles of FartarnWereda in Amhara National Regional State. In each sample Kebele five informants who arerntraditional healers and knowledgeable persons were interviewed and randomly selected thatrnmake up a total of 100 informants. The ethonobotanocal data were collected throughrninterviewing local communities including local ‘debteras,’ religious leaders, students and Kebelernadministrators. Primary data were collected using guided field walk, group discussion, semistructuredrninterview and participant observation in the field. The inhabitants of the area havernused the medicinal plants not only for medicinal value but also for various purposes and havernfor a long time been dependent on the surrounding plant resources for their food, shelter,rnfodders, for their animals, health care and other cultural purposes. In total 146 speciesrnbelonging to 133 genera and 71 families were recorded. Of these, 136 plant species groupedrnunder 68 families and 123 genera were used to treat human and livestock ailments. Taxarncommonly used belong to 4 families such as Asteraceae (9.56 %), Solanaceae (6.62%) andrnFabaceae and Lamiaceae (5.15 %, each) in number of species. Herbs formed a majorrncomponent (41.9%) while shrubs, trees and climbers constitute 32.35 %, 18.38 % and 7.35 %rnrespectively. The study showed that preparation and administration of medicinal plants includernseveral methods. The most frequently used plant parts for the preparations of remedy werernleaves 56 (34.78 %), roots 29 (18.01 %) and fruits 17 (10.56%). These medicinal plant partsrnwere processed in various forms and the major ones include crushing 51 (23.29%), powderingrn42 (19.18 %) and boiling 19 (8.68 %). The most common mode of administration was oral (52.97rn%) followed by dermal (30.14 %). The main threats to medicinal plants in the study area werernagricultural expansion, firewood, grazing, drought and construction. It is therefore,rnrecommended that the local people have to be encouraged to cultivate medicinal plants in theirrnhomegarden.rnKey words: conservation, ethnobotany, Farta, healthcare, IK, medicinal plant

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