Status of the use of naturalized medicinal plants from the Tata region (southeast of Morocco) in traditional medicine

Traditional uses of medicinal and aromatic plants in Morocco hold a significant place among different populations. However, the practice of this heritage may decline due to various factors. In order to assess the current state of traditional uses of native medicinal and aromatic plants in the Tata region, an ethnobotanical survey was conducted in four municipalities of this region. 221 interviews were carried out using semi-structured questionnaires, and plant samples were collected and georeferenced. The data obtained were analyzed using Microsoft Office Excel, calculating citation frequency (CF) and the Family use-value (FUV). The interviewed inhabitants revealed that 61.09% of native medicinal plants are readily available. 20 families comprising 32 species are utilized by the surveyed population, with Apiaceae (FUV=0.0192) being the most dominant, followed by Asteraceae (FUV=0.0166) and Zygophyllaceae (FUV=0.0127). Ammodaucus leucotrichus Coss was the most commonly mentioned plant by the surveyors, with a citation frequency of 47.05%, followed by Acacia raddiana (Savi) (CF=33.93%) and Zygophyllum gaetulum Emb. (CF=25.33%). 27 of the identified species in the study area were not mentioned by the surveyed individuals, accounting for nearly half of the medicinal plants identified in the region. The current state of medicinal plants in the four municipalities requires prompt intervention to protect this heritage and preserve its biodiversity wealth. This can be achieved by implementing ex-situ cultivation to multiply and conserve vulnerable plant resources, as well as raising awareness among the region's inhabitants about the scarcity of many species and promoting the use of plants in traditional medicine.