Ethnoecological investigation of Spirostachys africana Sond. population at Ha-Matsa Village, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Availability of natural resources for the generations to come depends on the current state of harvesting as well as use patterns. Such anthropogenic activities impact on the species survival and functioning of ecosystems. Harvesting of plant species that exudates gum, resins and/or latex like Spirostachys africana Sond. dates as far back as the Middle Stone Age (MSA) period. The demand for ethnobotanical use of plant material particularly tree is continuously increasing particularly in developing countries. This leads to unsustainable and uncontrolled extraction of plant material, involving excessive debarking, felling of the entire trees, root harvesting, and other activities that are currently threatening plant species and indigenous forests. These unfavourable practices mostly lead to most species being threatened. This study investigated ethnobotanical use of S. africana by the Vhavenda at Ha-Matsa village in Vhembe district, Limpopo province, South Africa. This was achieved through interviewing informants using a semi-structure questionnaire. The study further investigated population structure of S. africana and how harvesting is affecting the population of this species. The ethnobotanical data collected showed that various parts of S. africana (mainly branches, bark and stem) are harvested for various uses by Vhavenda of Ha-Matsa village. The study further revealed that the S. africana population at Ha-Matsa village is mainly represented by high number of sub-adults and that this population is failing to recruit seedlings. Lack of seedlings was ascribed to high percentage of crown harvesting and other anthropogenic activities such as manmade fires observed in this study. Furthermore, the basal stem diameter exhibited a bell-shaped distribution curve suggesting that the S. africana population at Ha-Matsa village is unstable.