Ethnobotany Medicinal Plants For Local Community in Southwest Sumba District

Ethnobotany is a science that studies a correlation between humans and plants as part of natural resources. The aims of this study were: 1. to know the type of medicinal plants used by the local community of Southwest Sumba; 2. to find the benefits of medicinal plants obtained by local community; 3. to observe how the community treats the medicinal plants; 4. to identify the types of diseases that can be cured by the medicinal plants. This study employed descriptive explorative method. Based on the interview and direct observation in the research area, medicinal plants were found and utilized by villagers. There are 17 species that most widely used. In some areas of Southwest Sumba, the communities have their own system of the utilization of the medicinal plants. The systems they used are unique and different from one region to the others. Southwest Sumba people are still familiar with the various types of medicinal plants and their benefits, also how to treat them. The communities are able to integrate a culture of crop used as herbal medicine as an effort of conservation against local biodiversity. It can be concluded that the community still have strong efforts to cultivate medicinal plants.