Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants of Bavi County (Khuzestan Province), Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Plant Sciences, faculty of Biological Sciences,, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.

3 Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Khuzestan University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Molasani, Iran.

4 Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Kosar University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran.

10.22091/ethc.2025.12414.1055

Abstract

Objective: Nowadays, with the occurrence of side effects for many chemical drugs, researchers have paid special attention to collecting the knowledge of indigenous people and herbal remedies. Ethnobotanical studies in Khuzestan are important due to the ethnic and racial diversity and fertility of this province. This study was conducted to document the anthropological knowledge of the indigenous people of Bavi County, Khuzestan Province.
Methods: Structured interviews and questionnaire completion were used to collect information. In this study, 36 elderly and experienced people, as well as local herbalists, participated. The number of uses for each plant, the frequency of citation, and the relative frequency of citation were calculated by analyzing the information obtained from the questionnaires. The Use Report Index and the Cultural Importance Index were calculated.
Results: a set of 61 plant species belonging to 33 families was identified. The most commonly used organ in these plants is the leaf. The largest number of species were related to the treatment of digestive diseases. The most frequent consumption of plants from the Asteraceae and Amaranthaceae was found. Among the species reported, Persicaria maculosa Gray, Cupressus sempervirens L. and Cyperus rotundus L. showed the highest frequency of citations.
Conclusion: Documenting the indigenous knowledge of the Bavi County people can help preserve the cultural heritage, knowledge, and beliefs and pave the way for sustainable environmental development.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Ethnobiology and Biodiversity Conservation
Volume 2, Issue 4 - Serial Number 8
December 2025
Pages 26-45

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