Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae), commonly known as famine weed in South Africa, is one of the most invasive weeds worldwide, accountable for losses to biodiversity, agriculture, the economy, and the health of livestock and human beings. The spread of this weed is not easy to manage or reverse. With globalization, trade, and human movement, it will continue to spread, allowing its range to expand into new areas. This weed has serious adverse effects on rangeland and agricultural crop production. Because of its unique characteristics, its invasiveness and competitive success rates are attributed to its high reproductive ability, fast growth rate, tolerance to environmental stresses, climate change adaptability, allelopathic potential, and unpalatability to animals. Parthenium hysterophorus dominates diverse habitats by spreading quickly as a contaminant of grain and other crop products and through farm machinery. It is widely distributed and has become problematic in various countries, including South Africa. It has successfully invaded several provinces in the country since its introduction in 1880. Since plant invasions are not universal, this study aimed to review research that has been conducted on the aggressive weed P. hysterophorus to understand the ecological characteristics that enable its successful establishment, the economic costs associated with its detrimental impacts, and to briefly assess knowledge gaps to improve its management strategies.

Wild edible fruits are important for ensuring food and nutritional security, especially in developing countries like South Africa. Globally, wild edible fruits are widely distributed, and they are consumed in different parts of the world; however, they are undervalued. This systematic review consolidates existing knowledge addressing the utilization of wild edible fruits, and their nutritional benefits. A total of 74 wild edible fruit species belonging to 29 families found in South Africa were documented in this study. The nutritional composition was reported only in 41 (55.4%) fruit species. The Anacardiaceae family had the most cited species (n = 11) (14.86%), followed by the Moraceae (n = 6) (8.1%), and Cucurbitaceae and Ebenaceae, of which each had five species, each contributing 5.4% to the total documented species. Sclerocarya birrea. (A.Rich.) Hochst., Mimusops zeyheri Sond., and Strychnos spinosa Lam. are three of the most important wild fruit species contributing to food and nutritional security. This review revealed that there is a dearth of literature studies that have substantially documented the contribution of wild edible fruits in food and nutritional security. In this regard, a study on ethnobotanical evaluation incorporating wild edible fruits used by local people could significantly provide insights and enhance our understanding of indigenous and technological knowledge that could be utilized to strengthen rural food security.

Invasive alien plant species are plant species that establish themselves outside their native distributional range. The current study documented utilization of alien plant species in the Eastern Cape province in South Africa. Information about utilization of alien plant species was gathered through interviews conducted with 120 participants, which included 13 traditional healers, 27 herbalists, ten farmers and 70 laypeople. Ethnobotanical importance of documented species was assessed through evaluation of use value (UV), fidelity level (FL) and relative frequency citation (RFC). A third of the participants (33.3%) perceived alien plant species as undesirable, while 71.1% of the participants argued that alien plant species had beneficial effects. A total of 26 alien plant species were recorded, seven species being fruit trees, followed by ornamental plants (five species), fodder and herbal medicines (four species each), construction materials, erosion control and vegetables (two species each). The popular alien plant species with UV > 0.1, RFC > 0.4 and FL > 4.0% included Amaranthus spinosus, Cannabis sativa, Cereus jamaracu, Harrisia balansae, Opuntia engelmannii, Opuntia ficus-indica, Opuntia monocantha and Prunus persica. Information on perceptions of local communities in the Eastern Cape province on the contributions of alien plant species to livelihood needs is an important stage of initiating a management protocol that incorporates public perceptions and values associated with alien plant species.

Scientists and conservation managers are seeking to understand and monitor plant species that are likely to be on the verge of extinction risk. Monitoring of threatened plants’ extinction risk can be better achieved through insights about indigenous knowledge dynamics associated with those species. This study aimed to document detailed information about useful threatened plant species in the Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Data was collected through interviews with 203 participants and literally counting of individuals as per the IUCN’s Red List Criteria. A total of 13 useful and native threatened plants belonging to 12 families were recorded. The majority of the threatened plant species were being used for medicinal purposes only (46.0%) followed by the mixture of medicinal and ornamentals (23.0%). The frequently cited useful threatened species with UV > 0.024, RFC > 0.059 and FL > 5.911%, includes Asparagus sekukuniensis, Bowiea volubilis, Brackenridgea zanguebarica, Ocotea bullata, Rhynchosia vendae, Siphonochilus aethiopicus and Warburgia salutaris. About 47.0% of the recorded useful threatened plants were distributed in remote areas of the Thathe Vonḓo and its surroundings. Threatened plants with the population size < 100 adult individuals constitute an overall of 61.54% of all the recorded species. The current study provides substantial information about useful threatened plant species in the studied region. Detailed information about threatened plant species remains fundamental for making informed decisions that are important for managing species of conservation concern.

Mimusops zeyheri Sond. (Milkwood) is an indigenous fruit tree species with considerable ecological, cultural, and nutritional significance that remains underexploited. This review synthesizes current knowledge on its distribution, taxonomy, phytochemistry, ethnomedicinal applications, ecological functions, genetic diversity, and biotechnological potential. A systematic literature search, spanning 1949 to April 2024, yielded 87 relevant publications from an initial 155. Mimusops zeyheri plays a crucial role in supporting the cultural traditions and economic activities of Indigenous Southern African Communities. Its distribution encompasses South, East, and Southern Tropical Africa, with substantial populations across South African provinces. Ethnomedicinally, various plant parts treat conditions including wounds, gastrointestinal issues, and diabetes. The leaves (34%) and roots (32%) are used, with infusion (33%) and decoction (31%) as primary preparation methods. Oral administration (70%) is the most common, primarily addressing skin conditions (18%). Despite its nutritional richness, a standardized nutrient profile is lacking. Limited genetic diversity studies underscore the need for further research. This study highlights Mimusops zeyheri’s multifaceted importance and research gaps, particularly in other Southern African countries. Future investigations should focus on comprehensive phytochemical analysis, ethnomedicinal validation, ecological conservation, genetic diversity assessment, and biotechnological applications. Multidisciplinary collaborations are recommended to promote sustainable utilization while preserving traditional practices.

Although Warburgia salutaris is popular and well-known medicinal plant in southern Africa, there is still a wealth of undocumented therapeutic uses of the species within the Vhavenda ethnic group in South Africa. The literature studies confirmed that there is a sparse rather than a paucity of information about W. salutaris preparation method, administration processes and dosage used for therapeutics. This study was aimed at documenting the therapeutic uses of W. salutaris, by the Vhavenda ethnic group within the Soutpansberg Region, Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Data on therapeutic uses of the species were collected using semi-structured interview, supplemented by field guided-walk with 346 participants. The total of nine therapeutic uses of W. salutaris were recorded and this includes being used as herbal medicine for bilharzia (FL=15.3%), womb cleaning after recurring miscarriages (FL=13.8%), period pain (FL=12.5%), earache (FL=8.8%), asthma (FL=7.5%), spinal cord pains (FL=10.0%), genital sore (FL=8.1%), colds (FL=6.5%) and toothache (FL=17.7%). The therapeutic preparation process of the species includes decoction (33.4%), soaking (22.2%), powder-grounding (22.2%) and leaf-squeezing (22.2%) whereas, the administration processes involved oral (45%), smoking (11%), bathing (11%), injection (11%), sap-pouring (11%). This study present novel traditional therapeutic knowledge associated with W. salutaris which was never been reported before. The therapeutic uses of W. salutaris in the traditional health care seemed to be prevalent and reliable in combating illnesses in scant resources communities.