Ethno-Medicinal assessment of wild edible plants in Ijesa Region, Osun State, Nigeria

This study assessed the ethno-medicinal values of wild edible plants (WEPs) in Ijesa region, of Osun State, Nigeria. A combination of social survey and direct field observation was employed to obtain information on the WEPs from 80 respondents in five randomly selected communities located within the region. A total of 85 WEPs belonging to 45 families were identified and their ethno-medicinal values were documented. Various parts of the identified WEPs were consumed but the leaves constituted the most widely consumed part. Secondary information revealed that the identified WEPs were rich in different phytochemicals which were thought to be responsible for their nutritional and medicinal values to curing and preventing diverse diseases. Field observation revealed that only 34 of the WEPs, representing 40%, were presently cultivated in the study area despite the fact that 52 of them, constituting 61%, were of immense economic values in the study area. Thus collections of the non-cultivated WEPs were skewed toward those in the wild. Hence conservation efforts are required to enhance their continuous supply in the study area. Strategies to ensure their supply were proposed.