AN ETHNO BOTANICAL STUDY OF MEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY LOCAL COMMUNITIES OF ARDA JILA WOREDA, EAST GUJI ZONE, ETHIOPIA

ABSTRACT: From October 20, 2014, to July 30, 2015, ethnobotany research was conducted under the tittle of an ethno botanical study of Medicinal plants used by local people of Arda Jila woreda, east Guji zone, Ethiopia. Ethnobotany is interdisciplinary study of the interactions between humans, plants, and the environment.The purpose the research objectves were to identify and decoment the medicinal plants and related indigenous knowledge, as well as how they are managed and how well they are being conserved.On this research 334 males and 61 females, totally 395 informants were participated. Datas were collected through observation, group discussions and semistructued interviews mechanisms.Quamtitative and qualitative dat a were analysed by descriptive data analysis method and the results were tested by ranking ba sed on informant consensus factor, preference ranking, direct matrix, paired comparisons and ,fidelity level.Forty one human and livestock ailments treated medicinal plants species, twenty seven families and were collected.The most plant specimens used were collected from forest that were 28(68.3%) and the voucher specimens were idenfied in Addis Abeba university (ETH). From the collection of these therapeutic herbs, 25(60.98%) were allegedly used to cure human illnesses, 5(12.19%) livestock illnesses and 11(26.83%) disease affecting both people and livestocks. Most of the medicinal plant were collected in the form of shrubs 17(41.5%).According to reports, leaves are the most plant components 28(68.29%) for remaidy preparation.Twenty five (62.5%), 15(37.7%) and 1(2.5%) diseases selected as human, livestocks and both respectively. The most common preparation techniques is pounding that is 54(66.7%).The main factors that cause indigenous knowledge were rural to town migration of healers, modern education and securetly transfer of indigenous knowledge to the next generation.For food, fair wood, charcoal, construction and building were the main type of medicinal plants use other than medicinal use.The main threat that distruct medicinal plants were replacing natural plants by local and agricultural expantion.Therefore, it is reco mmended that awareness creation in the society and healers through training and education were nessery by conserned body to conserve medicinal plants and indigenous knowledge.