Research Article Open Access

First Ethnobotanical Analysis of Useful Plants in Cuanza Norte, North Angola

Abstract

Objective: This study addresses the diverse use of plants in the unexplored province of Cuanza Norte, Angola. The joint survey between the University Kimpa Vita, N’dalatando, Angola and the Technische Universität Dresden, Germany was to collect, identify and verify different plants and their utilisations in order to analyse the current state of biodiversity by saving the traditional knowledge of the local population.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the rainy season October/November 2014 and 2015 in the province Cuanza Norte. For a better quantification and in order to estimate the value of the plants, the Cultural Importance Index (CI) and the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) were calculated.

Results: Ninety-two persons were interviewed, resulting in 533 data records for 162 different plants (58 families). According to the first calculation of the CI and the RFC, the neophytes Chenopodium ambrosioides and Chromolaena odorata are the most important species and the most frequently utilised parts are leaves (47.5%). Twenty utilisations are reported for the first time not only for Angola but are also not mentioned in literature before (12.4%). The utilisations of Hymenostegia laxiflora and Perichasma laetificata seem to be interesting due to their multiple mentioning. The medical treatments comprised a high range of 32 different symptoms, among which stomach pains are the most common (27%). The creation of seven use categories showed that most plants are used in one category, the medical sector (79.2%). Nevertheless, several plants were used in up to four different categories (Adansonia digitata, Annona muricata, Passiflora quadrangularis and Ceiba pentandra).

Conclusion: This first ethnobotanical analysis serves as a basis for further studies illustrating plants with a high potential for pharmaceutical studies and confirms results from adjacent regions. Especially the difficult reachable areas in the north and west are of particular interest finding new species and utilisation patterns.

Christin Heinze, Barbara Ditsch, Manize Fausto Congo, Inocencio Joao Jose, Christoph Neinhuis and Thea Lautenschlager

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