The Gathering and Consumption of Wild Edible Plants in Nhema Communal Area, Midlands Province, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study documented 67 wild edible plant species belonging to 45 genera and 30 families. Anacardiaceae and Moraceae were the dominant botanical families with 6 species each. Of the reported food plants, 67.7% were fruits, 14.9% vegetables, and the remainder were edible roots, inner bark, seed kernel, juice, and gum. Of edible plants, 79.1% had multiple uses, which included medicinal and construction timber. Only 20.9% of the species were used exclusively for food. Wild edible plants are a significant contributor to the socioeconomic well-being of the local people as they contribute a recognizable source of income especially for women.

Keywords:

• wild edible plants
• Nhema
• Zimbabwe
• Africa

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank the people of Nhema communal area for their assistance and cooperation during data collection. I am grateful to A. Muroyiwa for reviewing earlier drafts of this article, as well as anonymous reviewers. Thanks to Antony Mapaura, National Herbarium and Botanic Gardens, Harare, for preparing the distribution map of the study area.