Ethnobotanical Survey of Medicinal Plants Used by Rural Communities in Benue State, North Central Nigeria

Medicinal plant use remains an integral component of primary healthcare in rural Nigeria, yet rapid vegetation loss and the erosion of traditional ecological knowledge threaten this resource base. This study conducted an ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used by rural communities in three local government areas of Benue State. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were held with 150 respondents, including traditional healers, market traders, and household caregivers. Plant specimens were collected and identified with reference to standard botanical herbaria. A total of forty-two plant species distributed across twenty-eight families were documented as having medicinal applications. The most frequently cited ailments treated using these plants included malaria, diarrhoea, skin infections, and hypertension. Leaves were the most commonly used plant parts, followed by roots and bark. Informant consensus factor analysis revealed high community agreement on plants used for febrile and gastrointestinal conditions. Comparative analysis with previous regional ethnobotanical records showed a declining trend in the number of plant species actively used by younger age groups, indicating intergenerational erosion of knowledge. The study recommends documentation and validation of high-use species through pharmacological screening, integration of conservation education into community health programmes, and in-situ conservation of heavily harvested wild populations. Keywords: ethnobotany, medicinal plants, traditional knowledge, Benue State, conservation.