Assessment of traditional uses of aromatic plants among the people of Wayu Tuka District, East Wollega Zone; Oromia Region, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Assessment of traditional uses of aromatic plants was carried out in Wayu Tuka District from May20, 2016 to October 5, 2017.Total number of respondents was 365,in which 318(87.12%) were male and 47(12.88) were female. They were randomely selected from five study sites to distribute questionnaires.The respondents were grouped into three groups of age 20-40 which was 234 (64.11%), 41-60 which was 98(26.85%) and above 60 which was 33(9.04%). The total number of key informants was 20 which were 17 male and 3 female for specific investigation. Therefore pertinent information was collected using questionnaire, semi-structured interview, field observations and discussions. The data gathered were interred in Microsof office Ecel2007 to be analyzed and summarized in more notable manner using descriptive statistical method such as tables,graph,frequencies and percentage.The aromatic plants collected from home garden (cultivated area) which was 23(57.5%), from wild which was 15(37.5%) plant species and from both which was 2 (5%). Totally 40 plant species were identified for their aroma and multipurpose. The plants habits were categorized into tree which reperents 13 (32.5 %), shrub 6(15%) and herb 21(52.5 %). Taxonomically the plants were fall under 31 genera and 24 families, from which 8 of the families were Lamiaceae, Rutaceae, Asteraceae, Zingebraceae, Solanaceae, Verbenaceae, Oleaceae and Alliaceae with 2-6 different plant species. Lamiaceae represents 6(15%) of the total species; Rutaceae represents 4(10%) while Asteraceae and Zingebraceae represents 3(7.5%) of the total species equally. The Solanaceae, Verbenaceae, Oleaceae and Alliaceae represent 5% individually while each of the rest 16 family represents2.5% of the 40 plant species. The identified plants used among the peoples for medicine, spices, fumigation, incense, insect repellent, fire wood and ritual. The parts of the plants used were whole plant which contains 15(37.5%) plant species, root which contains 3(7.5%,seed 4(10 %) plant species, leaf 9 (22.5%),wood 2(5%),bark 2(5%),bulb 2(5%),leaf succulent 1(2.5%) and rhizome 2(5%) plant species.