Diversity and abundance of medicinal plants in Penggaron tourism forest of Central Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Nowadays, the need for medicinal plants as raw materials of traditional medicine is increasing. This study aims to determine the plant species that potential as medicine and its abundance in Penggaron Tourism Forest. Study sites were in the mixed forests and pine forests of Penggaron tourism forest. Vegetation sampling was carried out using a plot method with a size of 10 x 10 m for tree strata, 5 x 5 m for shrub strata and 1 x 1 m for grass or herbaceous strata. Each species of medicinal plant found was identified up to species level and determined their benefit. The medicinal plants found in the study site was 24 species, consisting of 15 families. The most commonly found plant species i.e., the Familia Asteraceae (Chromolaena odorata, Crassocephalum crepidiodes, and Elephantopus scaber), Malvaceae (Hibiscus tiliaceus, Sida rhombifolia, and Urena lobata) and Zingiberaceae (Alpinia galanga, Zingiber officinale, and Zingiber montanum). The habitus of found medicinal plants were 25% tree, 25% shrubs and 50% herbs/grasses. Medicinal plants in the Penggaron forest have not been widely used by people around the forest.