Checklist and Conservation of Spices’ Plant Species in Ijesa Region of Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The spices’ plant species in Ijesa region of Osun State, Nigeria wereexamined in this study through field observation and interviews withrandomly selected respondents using a semi-structured questionnairematrix. The interviews were focused, conversational and two-way incommunication. Spices plant species used and the part(s) of the speciesused were indentified. The cultivation status of the identified spices’plant species was defined. Group interviews were conducted in eachcommunity to validate the information obtained during the individualinterviews. Also the abundance status of the spices’ plant species in eachcommunity was determined. A total of 29 spices’ plant species,belonging to 18 families were identified in the region. Thus the identifiedspices were derived from diverse plant species; most of them werearomatic and pungent and contained various active ingredients. Theflower/fruits/seeds formed the major parts used and their extractivemethods used were destructive and annihilative. 45% of the identifiedspecies were not cultivated but occurred in the wild where a number ofanthropogenic activities affect their demography. 28% of these specieswere rare and they were mostly indigenous tree species that were notcultivated in the study area. Strategies that could ensure sustainablesupply of the spices plant species were recommended