BACKGROUND People's classification, management, and use of plants represent attempt to attracting people from different academic disciplines. Many countries use traditional medicine for their primary healthcare system. Medicinal plants have been important components of healthcare systems since the time immemorial. The objective of this research was to document and analyze traditional medicinal plants used by the Sheka people and associated ethnobotanical knowledge. METHODS Data was collected by administering pre-prepared semi-structured interview items to 414 informants. Market surveys, group discussion, and guided field walk were used. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics; determination of informant consensus factor, fidelity level, as well as ranking and scoring. RESULTS A total of 266 plant species belonging to 192 genera and 74 families were identified. About 204 (77%) of the medicinal plants were used to treat human health problems. Only ten (4%) were used to treat livestock health problems and 52 (19%) of them were used to treat both human and livestock health problems. Croton macrostachyus, Prunus africana, Peperomia retusa, Lobelia giberroa, and Celosia schweinfurthiana were found to be high ranking medicinal plants against gastrointestinal problems based on simple preference ranking. CONCLUSION Very high number of medicinal plant species recorded from the study area indicates that vegetation of Sheka is reservoir of medicinal plants. Hence, the area needs attention for medicinal plant conservation priorities. Plant parts used as medicines also play vital role in the entire medicinal plant life cycle. Therefore, it is useful to consider harvesting impacts. Except well-experienced traditional healers, people of the study area use the medicinal plants haphazardly. There may be high risk of being victims of dosage and improper usage. High ranking medicinal plants are candidates for further phytochemical profiling, drug research, and development.

中文翻译：

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埃塞俄比亚南部民族和人民地区州谢卡区药用植物的民族植物学研究。

背景技术人们对植物的分类、管理和使用代表着吸引不同学科的人们的尝试。许多国家将传统医学用于其初级医疗保健系统。自古以来，药用植物一直是医疗保健系统的重要组成部分。这项研究的目的是记录和分析谢卡人使用的传统药用植物以及相关的民族植物学知识。方法 通过对 414 名受访者进行预先准备的半结构化访谈项目来收集数据。采用了市场调查、小组讨论和引导实地考察的方式。使用描述性和推论性统计分析数据；确定知情者共识因素、保真度以及排名和评分。结果共鉴定出74科192属266种植物。大约 204 种（77%）药用植物用于治疗人类健康问题。只有 10 种 (4%) 用于治疗牲畜健康问题，其中 52 种 (19%) 用于治疗人类和牲畜健康问题。根据简单的偏好排名，巴豆、非洲李、胡椒、半边莲和鸡冠花被认为是治疗胃肠道问题的高级药用植物。结论 研究区记录的药用植物物种数量非常多，表明谢卡植被是药用植物的储藏库。因此，该地区需要优先关注药用植物保护。用作药物的植物部分在整个药用植物生命周期中也发挥着至关重要的作用。因此，考虑收获影响是有用的。除了经验丰富的传统治疗师外，研究地区的人们随意使用药用植物。可能存在成为剂量和不当使用受害者的高风险。高级药用植物是进一步植物化学分析、药物研究和开发的候选植物。