Economic Botany

, Volume 54, Issue 3, pp 310–327 | Cite as

Unraveling the commercial market for medicinal plants and plant parts on the witwatersrand, South Africa

  • Vivienne L. Williams
  • Kevin Balkwill
  • Edward T. F. Witkowski
Research
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Abstract

To unravel the market for commercial medicinal plants on the Witwatersrand in South Africa, a semiquantitative approach was taken. A stratified random sample of 50 herb-traders was surveyed, and an inventory of all plants and parts sold was compiled. Research participants were questioned on the scarcity and popularity of the plants traded, as well as suppliers and origins. The rarefaction method established that the sample size was adequate. The diversity of the sample was determined using ecological indices of diversity, and found to be comparatively high. In addition, Spearman rank correlations, chi-squared and Fisher’s exact probability tests were used to assess the probability of certain taxa being used. At least 46% of the taxa traded showed a higher than expected probability of being utilized, and taxa tended to be harvested from the largest families proximate to the markets. About 511 species are traded in the region, and there is a low dominance in the use of species. Ethnic and floristic diversity are influential in deciding the trading patterns that have emerged.

Key Words

ethnobotany medicinal plants survey trade diversity biome harvesting South Africa 

Découvrir le marché des plantes médicinales et des parties de plantes dans la région du witwatersrand, en Afrique du sud.

Résumé

Pour découvrir le marché commercial des plantes médicinales et des parties de plantes, nous avons utilisé une approche semiquantitative. Un échantillon pris au hasard, de 50 commerces basé sur une connaissance corporative de ce monde spécifique, et un inventaire de toutes les variétes de plantes offertes à la vente dans ces échopes a été effectuée. Les participants, furent questionnés sur la rareté et la popularité des plantes à l’étalage, ainsi que sur l’origine et les fournisseurs de ces mêmes plantes. La méthode basée sur la raréfaction indiqua que la taille de l’échantillonage était adéquat. La diversité des échantillons fut déterminé en utilisant les indices écologiques, de diversité et se révéla, en comparaison, important. De plus, la corrélation linéaire de Spearman, le test x2, et les tests de probabilité éxacte de Fisher furent utilisés pout évaluer la probabilité de certaine taxa utilisée. Au moins 46% de la taxa vendue, montre une probabilité supérieure à la moyenne d’être utilisée, et la taxa tend a être récoltée parmi les familles de plantes situées dans la vicinité des lieux de vente. 511 espéces sont à la vente dans la région, et il n’y a pas de dominance particulière sur certaines especes. La présence de plusieurs groupes ethniques et la diversité végétale influence les habitudes commerciales qui constituent la base de l’étude.

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Copyright information

© The New York Botanical Garden Press, Bronx, NY 10458-5126 U.S.A 2000

Authors and Affiliations

  • Vivienne L. Williams
    • 1
  • Kevin Balkwill
    • 1
  • Edward T. F. Witkowski
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Animal, Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandGautengSouth Africa

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