Wild Edible Indigenous Plants in Kontagora Emirate Forests, Niger State, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria is endowed with high biodiversity that include indigenous and traditional food plants. The wild plants provide an important source of employment for those outside the formal sector in many tribes. The potential that indigenous wild plants have in food security and poverty alleviation has not been exploited. The method used in gathering the ethno botanical information was survey and interviews from elderly persons from the tribes of kambari and in Auna, Tungan-Bako, Salka and Madara in Kontagora. The study investigates the wild edible indigenous plants in Kontagora emirates. Thirty nine (39) species belonging to 22 families in 34 genera of wild angiosperms were studied. Caesalpiniaceae and Anacardaceae families had the highest ranked species of five (5) and five genera (5) each respectively. Curcubitaceae, Tiliaceae and verbenaceae had two species in two(2) genera each respectively. The families of Rubiaceae and Bombacaceae and Rubiaceae had three species each. Pedaliaceae, Malvaceae and Rubiaceae each had two (2) species and the rest families had one species each respectively. The edible parts of the plants eaten includes leaves, pods, fruits, barks, rhizomes and Roots. The study recommends that conservation of wild edible plants should be coupled with improvement plan to the natives of the areas for sustainable utilization.