ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANTS BY PEOPLE OF BURSA DISTRICT, SIDAMA REGION, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

<strong>ABSTRACT</strong>: Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants was conducted to document the indigenous knowledge of people in Bursa District, Sidama region, Ethiopia. The study was conducted between September 2018 to August 2019. The purpose of the study was to collect record and document information on the use, management and conservation of medicinal plants and indigenous knowledge of the local peoples of the study area. A total of 80 informants were selected by using purposive and random sampling techniques to collect information on medicinal plant use from eight sampled kebeles. Ethnobotanical data were collected using field observations, semi-structured interviews, informant consensus, preference ranking and group discussions. The collected information was assessed quantitatively by using ICF, preference ranking, FL and direct matrix ranking. A total of 77 plant species distributed in 73 genera and 44 families were collected and identified. Out of these, 46 species (59.744%) were used to treat human ailments only, 21 species (27.28%) were used to treat both human and livestock ailments, and the remaining 10 species (12.98%) were used to treat only livestock ailments. From the total medicinal plant species, 28 were herbs, 23 shrubs, 21 trees, 4 climbers and 1epiphytes. The most frequently reported plant parts were leaves (34.9%) followed by roots (19.2%). The most widely used method of preparation was crushing. The common route of administration recorded was oral (71.5%) followed by dermal (16%) and nasal (6%). Gastrointestinal diseases, Hagenia abyssinia, Pittosporum abyssinicum and Juniperus procera each ranked first in ICF, FL, preference ranking and direct matrix ranking exercise respectively. Use of plants for construction, agricultural expansion, firewood collection and charcoal production were reported as major threats to plants of the study area. In order to protect loss of medicinal plants and indigenous knowledge, local communities must be involved in conservation and management of plant resources and associated indigenous knowledge.