Population status of Pterocarpus tinctorius: a medicinal plant species in Urumwa forest reserve, Tanzania

Abstract

The paper examine the population status in terms of size-class structure and density by size class for Pterocarpus tinctorius a priority medicinal plant tree used by local communities around the miombo woodland of Urumwa Forest Reserve, Tanzania. Plotless inventory techniques using multiple-nearest-tree sampling strategy was employed during data collection. Results revealed that, the species population structure was represented by high frequencies of large trees (> 25 cm dbh) with few small trees represented in size classes < 20 cm. The species had lower mean distance (42 m) between conspecific neighbours in the north of the reserve. P. tinctorius was found to be well-stocked with large individuals of ≥ 25 cm dbh but poorly stocked in terms of trees ≤ 15 cm per hectare. The species apparently seem to meet the immediate medicinal plant material needs of the local people in short-term, but strategies need to be developed for ensuring long-term supply. It is strongly recommended that an intensive ecological survey of the species and other potential medicinal plants in Urumwa be implemented in future to provide a greater insight to its dynamics in the miombo and assist in forest management and conservation and in turn sustain the primary health care system of dependent communities.

Keywords: Population status- Medicinal plants-Miombo-Urumwa-Tanzania