Potential of trilepisium madagascariense DC for non-timber uses in southwest Ethiopia and the need for its genetic conservation
2004
Mohammed Adilo | Feyera Senbeta | Abebe Yadessa | Tadesse Woldemariam
Throughout human history, plants have been playing significant roles in socioeconomic systems as sources of food, fuelwood, construction material, medicine, dyes, poisons, shelter, fibers, products for use in religious and cultural ceremonies, and in their ecological and aesthetic values. T. madagascariense is one of the economically and ecologically important indigenous tree species occurring in transitional montane rainforests of Southwest Ethiopia. This paper highlighted the importance of T. madagascariense as source of NTFPs and of enhancing its use and conservation. T. madagascariense has several uses: its fruit is edible, bark is reported to treat stomach ulcer, rheumatism, and anaemia; roots are used as a remedy for impotence; the latex is used for making birdlime. However, deforestation is threatening the transitional montane rainforest of Ethiopia, including the population of T. madagascariense. Therefore, there is a need to develop in situ and/or ex situ conservation strategies, while using the tree species and its forest habitat in a sustainable way.
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