Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Plants, Phytochemical Analysis, Educational and Economic Values Of The University Botanic Garden, Maseno - Kenya

Abstract

ABSTRACT A botanic garden is an area set aside and maintained by an organization for growing and studying various groups of plants for aesthetic, conservation, economic, educational, recreational and scientific purposes. A lot of research on check listing of vascular plants has been or is being carried out in botanic gardens around the world. At theUniversity Botanic Garden, Maseno (UBGM), no elaborate research on check listing of vascular plant species has been done. There has scarcely been any attempt to carry out phytochemical analysis for taxonomic value on various in situ and ex situ plants conserved at the UBGM, no research has been done to document the educational and economic values of the garden. Moreover, the rate at which the plant biodiversity is being cleared is high and so the need of plant conservation. It is on the basis of such need that the study was carried out at the UBGM. The study was carried out over a period of eleven months. The main objective of the study was to identify and provide checklist of vascular plants, determine phytochemical analysis for classification relationship, and document the educational and economic values of the UBGM. During field surveys observations were made, interviews conducted and notes taken on plant morphological characteristics and habits. Some plants were identified through taxonomic keys and by the aid 'of the herbarium specimens in the UBGM. Unidentified plants were collected, pressed, dried, preserved, mounted and identified at the National Museums of Kenya herbarium. Voucher specimens of the same were deposited in the University botanic garden herbarium. Phytochemical screening of 5 medicinal plant extracts in each of the ten selected plant families based on frequency of appearance in the UBGM was done using various reagents. Interviews based on toe questionnaire were administered to members of the surrounding community and workers in the garden. The questionnaires were also issued to the botany staff and students. Through it, economic and educational values of the University botanic garden and conservation strategies of threatened plants ex situ in the garden were gathered. It was found that there are 235 plant species in the botanic garden, belonging to 66 families. For each plant species, species name, common name (where available), family, habit and usage were provided. A plant usage was considered valid when cited by three different respondents. Trees were 31%, shrubs 32% and herbs 37%. Seventy (70) out of 235 plants were medicinal, 29 out of 235 were ornamental, 17 out of 235 for food provision and 6 out of 235 for building materials.The other 123 out of 235 plants had more than one usage. The data collected was presented using tables and pie-charts, and then analysed using SPSS and PRM3 statistical programmes. The phytochemical analysis revealed that saponins were the most abundant ' phytochemicals constituting 32.43%, followed by alkaloids (27.03 %), flavanoids (14.86 %), steroids (12.16%), terpenes (10.81 %) and anthraquinones (2.70 %). Chi-square analysis and ANOV A at P:::;0.05 revealed that plant families in which the plants are grouped are dependent on the phytochemicals present in plants. Conservation measures documented included raising of propagules, education and domestication of wild plants. The education and economic values documented included research, plant conservation and food provision. The information collected through annotated checklist has provided a database of vascular plants of high economic value found within the UBGM, information on phytochemicals present in some plants were useful for their taxonomic and herbal medicine which is imperative for sustainable biodiversity conservation. This information is vital to the local community members who still rely on plants for the provision of herbal medicine. The plant database, strategies for conservation, educational and economic values of UBGM will be disseminated through publications to provide vital information to conservationists and plant researchers. This study has made significant contribution towards accounting for conservation strategies, and listing of plant families conserved in the garden