Indigenous plant species used by Bapedi healers to treat sexually transmitted infections: Their distribution, harvesting, conservation and threats

An ethnobotanical survey on indigenous plant species used by Bapedi traditional healers to treat sexually transmitted infections was conducted in three districts of the Limpopo Province. Data was collected from 34 traditional healers via a semi-structured questionnaire, supplemented by field observations. Results showed that 37 species from 33 genera belonging to 24 families, mostly Asteraceae (10.8%), Asphodelaceae, Fabaceae and Hyacinthaceae (8.1%, each) are used to treat STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV/AIDS, syphilis and other STIs (nta — Bapedi terminology). The vast majority (90%) of these species were harvested from communal lands. Entire plants (10.2%) and underground parts such as roots (61.5%), bulbs (10.2%) and tubers (7.6%) were mostly harvested. All species recorded in this study appear on the South African National Red Data List. These include amongst others Cotyledon orbiculata (near threatened), Dioscorea sylvatica (vulnerable), Eucomis pallidiflora subsp. pole-evansii (near threatened), Gethyllis namaquensis (vulnerable) and Hypoxis hemerocallidea (declining). Furthermore, Boscia albitrunca, Elaeodendron transvaalense and Sclerocarya birrea are protected under the South African National Forest Act (NFA) No. 84 of 1998. The major factors threatening indigenous species used by Bapedi healers include urban development (23%), trading and agricultural expansion (19%, each), deforestation (13%) and overexploitation (12%). This study conclude that Bapedi healers need to be informed about the conservation measures that they can implement to ensure the long term sustainability of threatened and protected species, and ultimately traditional healing as a profession.