Table 4 Edible plants consumed by Afar people in Yalow Woreda
Voucher Number | Family | Scientific Name (Citations) | Habit | Local plant name | Mode of consumption |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
YA 021 | Acanthaceae | Ruellia patula Jacq. | Shrub | Boboyta | The outer cover is eaten fresh. It is collected and consumed by herd boys, and it is not stored and has a mild test. |
YA 012 | Anacardiaceae | Rhus natalensis Krauss | Tree | Dewa/ Sofa | Whole fruit, after trashing using both hands, is eaten fresh. It is sweet and consumed by all age groups. It collected and mostly consumed by herd boys |
YA 092 | Apocynaceae | Carissa spinarum L. | Shrub | Titita | It has sweet to sour test, collected and consumed by all age groups |
YA 095 | Balanitaceae | Balanites aegyptiaca (van Tieghem) Blatter | Tree | Udayto | The outer cover is eaten fresh, and the inside is eaten boiled and can be stored. It is collected by housewives, herd boys, and men and consumed by all age groups. It has a mild test and stored for a drought period. |
YA 008 | Balanitaceae | Balanites rotundifolia (Van Tiegn.) Blatter | Shrub Small tree | Alayto | The outer part is eaten fresh. The internal part is bitter, hence, soaked in water overnight and followed by two to three times washing, boiled and consumed by all age groups. Housewives and herd boys collect and stored for drought period as a food source. It is also consumed fresh by diabetic patients. |
YA 072 | Boraginaceae | Cordia sinensis Lam. | Tree | Madera/ Ledo | It is collected by boys and housewives. It is sweet as honey and has more fat. It is preferably given to children under five years and women that have given birth. It is eaten before breakfast and dinner. |
YA 016 | Capparidaceae | Boscia coriacea Pax. | Tree | Homura/ Aytneba | It too sour and only one crushed fruit is taken for smoothening taste by older individuals that take milk as food for a longer period. It is used as medicine to avoid dyspepsia. |
YA 063 | Fabaceae | Tamarindus indica L. | Tree | Hura | It has a mild taste between sour, and bitter. It is collected by herd boys and housewives and eaten fresh. The whole fruit is chewed, and the seeds are spat. |
YA 058 | Olacaceae | Ximenia americana L. | Tree | Helelea | It is sweet, succulent fruit collected by herd boys and consumed by all age groups. |
YA 069 | Rhamnaceae | Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf. | Tree | Kusra | It collected by herd boys and housewives and eaten fresh by all age groups. |
YA 011 | Rosaceae | Rosa abyssinica Lindley | Shrub | Atim | It is sweet and collected and consumed by all age groups. The whole fruit is eaten fresh, and only seeds are spat. |
YA 042 | Salvadoraceae | Dobera glabra (Forssk.) Poir. | Shrub | Gasera/ Mudua/ | The outer part is eaten fresh and inner part is taken as food boiled mixed with Alayto during drought season. It collected by housewives and herd boys, stored for drought season, and consumed by all age groups. |
YA 038 | Sapotaceae | Mimusops kummel A. DC. | Tree | Yelow Eta | Unripe fruit is collected by boys and buried in the soil until it ripens and becomes red. The whole fruit is consumed by all age groups. Unripe fruit is not edible and assumed to be poisonous. |
YA 057 | Tiliaceae | Grewia bicolor Juss. | Tree | Hebele | It is collected by herd boys, and whole fruit is consumed after the hairy outer part is cleaned. It is sweet and eaten by all age groups |
YA 062 | Tiliaceae | Grewia erythraea Schweinf. | Shrub | Hidayto | It is sweet fruit collected by herd boys and consumed by all age groups and is not stored |
YA 048 | Tiliaceae | Grewia villosa Willd. | Shrub | Habeleyta | It is collected by herd boys and consumed fresh by all age groups. |