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Floristic Inventory and Ethnobotany of Wild Edible

Plants in Cebu Island, Philippines

Article  in  Asian Journal of Biodiversity · January 2019

DOI: 10.7828/ajob.v9i1.1236

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Vol. 9 January 2018 Asian Journal
Asian Journal of Biodiversity Vol. 9 of Biodiversity
January 2018
Print ISSN 2094-5019 • Online ISSN 2244-0461 This Journal is in the Science Master Journal
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7828/ajob.v9i1.1236 List of Clarivate Analytics
Zoological Record

Floristic Inventory and Ethnobotany of Wild Edible

Plants in Cebu Island, Philippines
EUNICE R. ROSALES
ORCID NO. 0000-0001-8833-2277
rosalesreunice@gmail.com
Biology Department, Cebu Normal University,
Cebu City

CHRIISTIAN R. CASIO
ORCID NO. 0000-0003-2939-8422
christiancasio441@gmail.com
Biology Department, Cebu Normal University,
Cebu City

VANESSA R. AMISTAD
ORCID NO. 0000-0002-1603-7356
amistadvanessa07@gmail.com
Biology Department, Cebu Normal University,
Cebu City

CHERYL MAE L. POLO

ORCID NO. 0000-0002-1539-3076
cherylmaepolo18@gmail.com
Biology Department, Cebu Normal University,
Cebu City

KARL DEHAN B. DUGADUGA

ORCID NO. 0000-0002-4858547X
karldehandugaduga@gmail.com
Biology Department, Cebu Normal University,
Cebu City

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Asian Journal of Biodiversity Vol. 9 January 2018

JAY P. PICARDAL
ORCID NO. 0000-0001-5986-0556
picardalj@cnu.edu.ph
Research Institute of Tropical Biology & Pharmacological Biotechnology,
Cebu Normal University, Osmena Boulevard., Cebu City

ABSTRACT

The study discussed the diversity, utilization, socio-economic value and

threats associated to the wild edible plants (WEPs) in Cebu Island, Philippines.
Semi-structured interview, field observations and pairwise ranking were utilized
to generate responses from purposively-selected informants living in three
mountain communities in Cebu: Mt. Kapayas, Catmon, Nug-as Forest Reserve,
Alcoy and Cantabaco Forest, Toledo. The study recorded a total of 168 edible
plant species belonging to 111 genera and 97 families. Majority of plant habits
of the recorded plants were trees (42.94%), herbs (30%) and shrubs (14.71%).
The recorded use of WEPs include food, medicine, construction/technology,
beverage, forage, food coloring and condiments where 30% of the informants
suggest the marketability of the WEPs and 14.7% of the WEPs were reported as
alternative food source. Test for use diversity showed significant difference in the
uses of WEPs in the three sites (X2 = 2.46, α = 0.05). Pairwise-ranking results
indicated that selective cutting for construction and technology, natural disaster
and agricultural expansion are key threats to WEPs in these areas. The study
suggests 1) public awareness and community-based management at all levels to
lessen threats, 2) further investigation on nutritive and socio-economic values;
and 3) investigation of pharmacological profiles to evaluate medicinal benefits.

Keywords: wild edible plants, ethnobotany, alternative food source

INTRODUCTION

Wild edible plants (WEPs) are any plant in which some parts are eaten by
either human or animals and are thriving without any human intervention.
Besides human consumption (Teklehaymanot & Giday, 2010), the next
important contribution of WEPs to local communities are their underlying
traditional knowledge systems (Kuhnlein et al., 2006), as source of additional
income (Shumsky, 2011), as source of nutraceuticals and medicine (Rasingam,
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2012) and even processed food production and enterprise (Chua-Barcelo, 2014).
Studies conducted in several countries showed reports of their own WEPs (Tardio
et al., 2005; Cruz et al., 2013; Zhang et al., 2016; Erskine et al., 2015). In
the Philippines, one of the most comprehensive monograph on food and fruit-
bearing fruit species found in the country described their detailed phenotypic
characters, ecology, distribution, nutritional value and main uses (FAO, 1984).
Recent literatures in the last 15 years listed WEPs at a more localized level, such
as indigenous food plants in Ilocos Norte (Antonio et al., 2011) and Agusan
del Sur (Arquion et al., 2015); indigenous crops and wild plants in Southern
Palawan (Bernadas & Peralta, 2017) as well as edible wild fruits in Benguet
(Chua-Barcelo, 2014).
In the province of Cebu, local communities, parataxonomists and foresters
from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have
reported encounters, collection and consumption of WEPs in the province,
and some attempted to propagate them for domestic consumption (Colis &
Abrenaga, 2017). However, the history of recorded wild edible plants in Cebu
is still deficient, particularly form the most recent literature. To date, there are
few studies in the Philippines that mentioned the presence of WEPs in Cebu
(Merill, 1903; Brown, 1920; Merill, 1923-1926; FAO, 1984; Madulid & Agoo,
1992; Madulid, 2001; Lim, 2015). For example, in WH Brown’s 1920 book, he
recorded 19 species of wild food plants grown in Cebu which formed a baseline
literature of the wild species in the province.
Cebu is the 9th largest island in the country. It has a forest cover composed
of mostly mountainous, rugged with depressed peaks creating mountain ranges
(Paguntalan et al., 2015). Unfortunately, the continuing forest destruction in
the province narrowed the remaining forest to less than 1% of its total land area
(Mallari et al., 2001; DENR-FMB, 2010) along with deforestation, quarrying,
mining, environmental pollution, land conversion and mismanaged solid
wastes (Paguntalan et al., 2015). If these forests are facing threats, then wild
edible plants from these forests face the same set of environmental challenges.
Previous research has shown that wild edible plants located within protected
areas (PAs) in Cebu’s landscape are somewhat protected from overconsumption
and overharvesting (Abaquita, 2015) because of its inaccessible location and
difficulty of terrain (Lucresio, 2017). The major challenge now is that the WEPs
found outside Cebu’s identified key biodiversity areas (KBAs) are at risk of losing.
Pursuing this floristic study will significantly contribute to the existing literature
on WEPs, and may provide awareness on what WEPs we can utilize as alternative
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food source particularly in the far-flung communities. This study may identify
which WEPs served as alternative food source in times of food crisis, so it opens
an area of research for relieving hunger in rural and possibly urban communities.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The study aimed to determine the diversity, uses, threats, role in food security
and socio-economic value of wild edible plants in the island of Cebu, Philippines.

METHODOLOGY

Study Area
Cebu Province (10°31’ N, 123°88’ E) ranks 9th as the largest island in
the country and is positioned at the centre of Philippine Islands (Paguntalan
& Jakosalem, 2008). It covers an area of 4,944 km2 which is composed of 44
municipalities and 6 component cities. The province receives the Type IV climate
which distributional rainfall is uniform in the whole province with 263.10
m of average rainfall (Fernando et al., 2009). Selected localities (Fig. 1) were
purposively selected based on reported species richness of wild edible plants
(Colis, 2017), and are briefly described as follows:
Mt. Kapayas, Catmon, Cebu (10° 38’ 54.1574” N 123° 58’ 12.5606” E). Mt.
Kapayas is situated in the municipalities of Catmon and Carmen with a forest
cover of over 60 hectares in 2002. The mountain houses indigenous trees namely:
Sindora supa, Ficus sp, Artocarpus sericarpus and Heritiera sylvatica. In 2014,
the remaining forest was reclassified into a secondary growth forest. Cantabaco
Forest, Toledo City, Cebu (10.3116° N, 123.7350° E). Cantabaco Forest, a
mixed primary and secondary growth forest, is situated in Barangay Cantabaco,
Toledo City, Cebu. It has a total land cover of 3,670 km2 comprising 14 sitios.
The area is rich in limestone rock formation, forming a unique assemblage of
karst vegetation. Nug-as Forest Reserve, Alcoy, Cebu (9° 42’ 46.3108” N 123°
27’ 6.5671” E). Nug-as Forest Reserve is situated centrally in Boljo-on and Alcoy
encompassing five barangays. It has a total cover of 12 km2 of secondary growth
forest and the largest surviving forest in Cebu. The limestone forest is mostly
dominated by Ficus spp and Syzygium spp., agriculture, tree plantations, and
scrubland surround the area (Paguntalan et al. 2015).

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Fig. 1 Map of Cebu province showing the three study sites (red shaded regions):
Mt. Kapayas, municipality of Catmon (top), Barangay Cantabaco, Toledo City
(center), and Nug-as forest, municipality of Alcoy (bottom). Retrieved as https://
pasarelapr.com/detail/map-of-cebu-province-17.html

Key Informants
Snowball technique was used in choosing the key informants (KI) which
include primarily the elderly people considered as permanent residents of the
locality for more than 20 years. From these initial list of elderly informants, they
mentioned people who are knowledgeable of WEP as well as local traditional
herbalist or healers (locally called bisayang mananambal) which are also included
in the list of potential KIs.

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Data Gathering Procedure

Preliminary information on the availability of WEPs in the selected
localities was gathered through informal interviews from local foresters and
parataxonomists in the province, and who happened to visit these areas in the
last 10 years. This study utilized a rapid rural appraisal (RRA) approach using
a semi-structured questionnaire to gather data from the key informants. Key
informants were selected to have an adequate knowledge on native edible plants
on their area. The study was conducted in the last quarter of 2017, and the
first quarter of 2018. Questions asked focused on the WEP’s local name, edible
parts and its uses, WEPs consumed as alternative foods and can be sold, threats
and their corresponding conservation status. After the interview and upon
agreement with the informant, the mentioned plants’ edible parts were collected
and photographed (DENR, Wildlife Gratuitous Permit No. 2017-16). Voucher
specimens were identified and were deposited at the Cebu Normal University
Herbarium (CNU-H). Identification of the plants’ nomenclature referred to the
Dictionary of Philippine Plant Names (Madulid 2001), listing of edible fruits in
the Philippines (Coronel, 2011) as well as online plant databases (Pelser et al.,
2011).

Data Analysis
Specific data analysis tools were used to gather data about the percentage of
utility, use similarity and the factors that threaten wild edible plants. Chi-square
test of homogeneity was used to measure the percentage of general functionality
of the wild edible plants among the three study sites. It determined the number
of plant species reported as useful among the studied communities under various
use categories. Pairwise ranking was employed to figure out the ranking of the
threats to wild edible plants.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Floristic Inventory
A total of 168 plant species categorized to 111 genera and 67 families were
reported as edible plants consumed by the locals (see Fig. 2 for some photographs
of WEPs in Cebu). The Family Moraceae (11) showed the greatest number of
edible species followed by Gramineae and Areacaceae (both 6), Cucurbitaceae
and Fabaceae having (both 5), Anacardiaceae, Leguminosae, Lamiaceae, and
Poaceae (all 4). Among the genera, Ficus (5) has the highest number of species,
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followed by Artocarpus (4), Ipomoea, Citrus and Musa (all 3). The diversity of
the taxonomic groups, families, genera, species, life forms and plant parts used
are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Forty-two percent of the plants are trees, 28% are
herbs, 15% are shrubs, 10% are vines and 3% are grass.

Table 1. Classification of wild edible plants according to taxon and plant habits

Among the three study sites, Cantabaco Forest has the most recorded WEPs
(115), followed by Mt. Kapayas (99), and Nug-as Forest Reserve (88). The
abundance of plant families proves the richness and variety of the species in
the areas. From direct observation, the informants were able to live inside the
Cantabaco Forest that makes it accessible for them to utilize these wild plants.
Mt. Kapayas has the densest and thickest forest cover but most live on the foot
of the mountain but can hardly gather the wild edibles from the mountain. The
Nug-as Forest is a protected forest so there were no human inhabitants inside the
forest. The quantity and variety of recorded plants were limited by the distance
and accessibility of the people from them.

Table 2. Diversity of plant parts used within the taxonomic groups

Informants also noted that most wild edibles can only be gathered in the
innermost portion of the forests, and accessibility to these areas are oftentimes
problematic due to thick vegetation, frequent sightings of venomous reptiles and
absence of clear pathways. In fact, some informants reported that some wild
edibles are not familiar to them because they are not successfully cultivated under
human habitation (Arquion et al., 2015).
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Figure 2.Photograph of some of the Wild Edible Plants in Cebu Island

1:D. canniformis G. K. S.(common donax), 2:C. maxima(pomelo), 3:P.
guajava L.(guava), 4:T. cacao L.(cacao), 5:C. aurantium L.(sour orange), 6:A.
muricata L.(soursop), 7:S. tora L.(sickle pod), 8:A. carambola L.(granati), 9:C.
longa L.(turmeric),10: A. camansi B.(breadnut), 11:C. esculenia L.(taro), 12:A.
altilis(breadfruit), 13:C. esculenia L. (taro), 14:R. fraxinofolius(wild strawberry),
15:C. mindanense E.(coralbush)

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16:M. malabathricum L.(malabar melastome), 17:C. olitorius L.(red jute), 18:P.

edulis S. (passion fruit), 19:O. asilicum L.(sweet basil), 20:M. rosacea(botoan
banana), 21:C. candicans B. H.(malabar hoary), 22:P. lunatus L.(lima bean), 23:T.
indica L.(tamarind ), 24:P. tetragonolobus L. DC.(wing bean), 25:F. jangomas L.
R.(coffee plum), 26:P. campechiana(egg fruit), 27:Hornstedtia spp.(fairy fruit),
28:C. trifolia L. D.(three-leaf cayratia), 29:P. scutellarioides L. R. Br.(tabasco
pepper).

Different wild edibles are eaten based on what is considered as palatable

edible parts. The most cited edible part is the fruit (79), followed by leaves
(62), stem (35) and trunk (16) (Figure 3a). In terms of the mode of preparation
of these plants, most plants are eaten raw (47%). The percentage of the wild
edibles’ modes of preparation is shown in Figure 3b. Of the 47% identified
plants prepared through cooking, thirty-seven (37) plants were boiled as part of
vegetable soup or as stir-fried dish. B. alba L. (spinach vine) and H. rosa sinensis
L. (shoe black plant) are vegetable soup ingredient, fruits of S. edule J. S. (sayote),
P. tetragonolobus L. DC. (karbansus) and M. charantia L (paliya), leaves of I.
batatas L. L. (kamote) and I. aquatica (kangkong) are stir-fried with garlic and
onion with either egg or meat, A. camansi B. (breadnut), and D. villosa (wild
yam) are steam-cooked, and, M. esculenta (cassava) and ‘bot/batang’ are prepared
as snack, turned into puto (steamed rice cake) or as ingredient in binignit (thick
sweet soup with sticky rice and coconut milk). There are more native dishes
that are prepared with the different parts and different modes of preparation
of the wild edibles. These plants have sustained local communities with staple,
supplementary and alternative food sources (Antonio et al., 2011).

Fig. 3 Status of use of the most commonly used wild edible plant based on (a)
number of citations of plant parts used, (b) the different modes of preparation for
the consumption of WEPs as food use.

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Medicinal WEPs
During the recording of the wild edibles, there were several instances that
they were mistakenly identified as medicinal plants because they are consumed
as food and at the same time, commonly used in the practice of traditional
medicine (Chua-Barcelo, 2014). It is important to take note that the main
mode of preparing these WEPs used as medicine plants is through decoction
which could be associated with greater concentration and extraction of active
compounds (Adnan et al., 2010; Chiarucci et al., 2011), thus, increasing its
medicinal effectiveness (Morilla et al., 2014).
Of the 168 plants cited in Cebu, 74 plants are also used as traditional
medicine and their traditional ethnomedicinal uses are shown in Table 3. Results
show that Annona muricata L. (11) has the greatest number of medicinal uses.
There were plants that could be used as an antidote for hangover, blood vomiting,
dandruff, pain after giving birth, teething, and poisoning (Miano et al., 2011).
Few plants could also cure serious diseases such as cancer, hypertension, kidney
diseases, ulcer, UTI, and blindness in cow. The majority of mentioned illnesses
and corresponding healing properties of WEPs were not yet elucidated either in
vitro or in vivo but the experiences and beliefs of traditional healers have stood
the test of time (Srithi et al. 2009). The aspect on dual use of WEPs could be
potentially explored, and such compounded benefit will increase awareness level,
and may translate into sound plant conservation efforts in the future (Ong &
Kim 2016; Prigge et al. 2005).

Table 3. Some medicinal wild edible plants and their traditional uses

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Multiple Uses of WEPs

WEPs were not only reported for their potential traditional medicinal
benefits, but also its utility as animal feeds, as condiment and food seasoning, as
beverage, as food coloring agents, as raw materials for construction and furniture-
making (Table 4). Among the WEPs listed in the table, batuan (Garcinia morella)
and native turmeric (Curcuma longa) ranked first, with the greatest number of
multiple uses, with Garcinia being used as food, condiment, for construction and
as medicine while turmeric being commonly used as condiment, as tea beverage,
as food coloring and traditional medicine. These multiple use values are also
reported by Chua-Barcelo (2014) for Benguet fruits and Arquion et al. (2015)
for indigenous plants of Agusan del Sur, in southern Philippines.

Table 4. Some wild edible plants and their multiple, traditional uses

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Local communities from the three study sites reported that the leaves of
Colocasia esculenta L (Gabi) can be used as an ingredient to vegetable dishes or
for medicinal uses via decoction; its stem or stalk can be a vegetable ingredient;
its tubers are steam-cooked or as food ingredient. Bixa orellano L. (Shuetes)
was traditionally used as lipstick (FAO, 2009) and today it is still used to add
coloring to the food. Their stimulant beverages were the ground seeds of wild
Coffea arabica L. and Theobroma cacao L. for hot coffee and hot chocolate drink,
respectively. Some fruit-bearing trees are also used as construction materials or
raw material for handicraft industries, such as Sagisi palm, jackfruit and mango,
to name a few. These plants not only provide additional income for the local
people but also create crafts that could add adornment in their homes (Abaquita,
2013).
Chi square Test and Use Diversity
Analysis of the plant distribution of the wild edible plants showed which
recorded plants are unique in one area, or common in other areas. Among the
three sites, Cantabaco Forest has the highest number of unique plants while
Nug-as, Alcoy has the lowest recorded unique WEPs. In terms of use diversity,
Cantabaco forest, Toledo City has the greatest number of plants in terms of use
variety. Analysis of use diversity of the wild edibles showed seven different uses.
The X2 value for the Chi-square test of homogeneity (X2 = 2.46; df= 6; α= 0.05)
indicated that there is a significant difference in the uses reported as wild edibles
by the three study areas (Table 5).

Table 5. Chi-square test of homogeneity results on WEPs

The significant differences in use diversity among the three study sites may be
due to species richness in all three sites. For instance, some sitios situated near
the top of the Cantabaco hills rely heavily on available plants in the forest and
for several generations, their ancestors were noted to have maximized the use
of these plants for several purposes. In terms of its use as alternative medicine,
communities from this hill passed on the tradition of collecting and utilizing
medicinal plants that are edible, and these people were reported to visit the clinic
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only in extreme medical conditions because of the risk of going down the hilly
landscape (Geraldine Fajardo, personal communication, 2017). Species richness
is a direct way to analyze plant use diversity (Lardio et al., 2007). Cebu possesses
rich diversity (Paguntalan & Jakosalem, 2007) most especially on the three sites
which are considered to be dipterocarp forests possessing species-rich families
(Primack, 2016). Availability of this species richness and diversity plays an
important role in creating a local knowledge of the plants in human populations
(Phillips & Gentry, 1993; Nolan, 1998).

Socio-economic significance of WEPs

Majority of the informants are lumad or natives to the area and their personal
experience invariably contributed their awareness and knowledge of the plants,
particularly on their varying socio-economic significance (Table 6). Among the
listed importance of WEPs to communities, provision as food and nutrition
topped the list, followed by its utility as animal feedstuff. The pattern of citations
reported by informants from three sites agrees with the study of Antonio et al.
(2011) in Ilocos Norte. WEPs used on rituals received the lowest citations because
only a few of them still practice rituals or believe in diwatas or deities and other
tuo-tuos or superstitions. As reported, these plants were harvested from wild or
cultivated in their backyard to lessen financial expenses on food and others (i.e.
beverage, animal feedstuff). These suggest that WEPs has penetrated the effective
actions and values of the informants, and has given them a direct reliance on any
manner (Ong & Kim, 2016; Prigge et al., 2005).

Table 6. Informants’ perception of WEPs importance

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Marketability of WEPs in the study areas

Only 30% among the informants agreed that 10.69% (18 plant species) of
the recorded WEPs can be sold in the market and may provide a substantial
source of income. The plants D. allata (wild yam) and C. esculenta L (taro) are
the most cited marketable plants on the three study sites. Since the plants were
harvested from the wild and most of consumers do not recognize its appearance,
majority of the local sellers of WEPs stroll and sell their gathered products only
on nearby neighbor houses, while few display their plants in front of their sari-
sari store.
Stems from the plants of B. alba L. (spinach vine), G. gnemon L. (bago), I.
aquatic (kangkong), C. olitorius L. (red jute), I. batatas L. L. (sweet potato) or also
called as gai sa kamote, are among the WEPs sold in small bundles ranging from
five pesos (P5) to fifteen pesos (P15) (Table 7). Few WEPs were also reported
to be sold in kinilo or by using measurement units (i.e. kilograms, grams) to
quantify the available resources into proportionate prices. This is due to the fact
that harvests are inconsistently few, and irregularly available, and thus, whatever
good harvest there is that could be marketable, are being sold by the household.
The remaining crops are often set aside for family consumption, or made into
barter with neighbors for other available food crops (Raquel Lombrino, personal
communication, 2017).
Another marketable plant species is the C. frutescens L. (Tabasco pepper)
which is sold in small plastic packets with price ranging from one (1) peso to
five (5) pesos. Plants gathered for construction use also supported and boosted
the livelihood of the native people and marginal farmers. Plants such as C. rotang
(rattan) and C. rumphiana (Albert palm or fish tail) have been reported to be
declining in number as a result from the uncontrolled collection and increased
demands as furniture raw materials and ornamental foliage, respectively. This
leads to the diminishing number of the said plants as mentioned from the
few informants in Cantabaco Forest (GCSFHESE, 2012). The marketability
potential of these plants could be harnessed for income generation. They also
need to be economically-evaluated and documented to optimize utilization and
prevent threats such as overexploitation (Prigge et al., 2005).

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Table 7. WEPs being sold in the three (3) study sites and provides extra income
to households

Wild edible plants (WEPs) as alternative food sources

Of the 170 informants, 87.5% reported to have used WEPs as alternative food
sources. Alternative foods are used when preferred or normally consumed foods
are not accessible and in circumstances where food shortages dominate. Some
WEPs (25 plant species = 14.7%) are consumed as food sources. The leading
causes of food shortages in the 3 study sites were drought and heavy rainfall
due to their high elevation, and the dependence of their staple food sources on
agricultural crops which are the ones mostly affected by natural disasters. The
effects of natural disaster are inevitable especially to open environments (i.e.
agricultural farms, coconut plantations).
Informants revealed that I. batatas (sweet potato), S. odorata (five fingers),
C.esculenta (taro), D. esculenta (Asiatic yam),’hagmang’, D. divaricata (Chinese
yam), A. macrorrhiza L (biga) and ‘butig’, are among the WEPs that were used
by the informants as an alternative substitute for rice. The fruits of C. cainito L
(star apple) and C. papaya L. (papaya), and leaves of B. alba L. (spinach vine)
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and M. oleifera L. (horse radish) among others, are used as alternative option to
traditional viand.

Pairwise ranking and threats to wild edible plants from the three study areas
Wild edible plants are also exposed to various forms of threats. Threats to
WEPs are analyzed through pairwise ranking for all of the three study areas
(Figure 4). Data show that irresponsible human activities and forest utilization
are the main threat to WEPs diversity. Selective cutting for construction and
technology yielded the highest recorded threat, where the informants noted as
the main source of income as well as for their own consumption. Natural disaster,
such as storm and landslide, was considered the second threat because of their
favorable location (i.e. mountaintop elevation). The third threat, agricultural
expansion and land conversion, was commonly observed because they need
to undergo farming for food generation and income generation (Morilla et al.
2014).

Figure 4. Overall pairwise ranking results of the environmental threats found in

three study sites

All other threats arose due to the informants’ activities themselves which
they needed to do for their own livelihood activities. They also mentioned that
selective cutting or collection for fuel wood or charcoal is strictly restricted but
they still do it on minimal basis. Threats of WEPs were mainly anthropogenic
activities. If consequences to these are widely known and people are well-aware
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of these WEPs in their area, they would refrain from doing anything that would
result to the lose the plants and its germplasm.

WEPs conservation status

Ethno-ecological knowledge assessment on threats to WEPs and conservation
concerns showed that most of the wild plants’ availability is still at a normal
state, however, these must not be taken for granted because some are at risk of
losing. Ignorance to the benefits of wild plants has also been a common sight.
For example, only 1 out of the 44 respondents from Cantabaco Forest knows that
Dioscorea spp. (Wild edible yam) not only possesses anti-inflammatory activity
(Mollica et al., 2013) but also cures animal blindness (Obsidial, 2017; pers.
comm. Dec. 2016). Lack of awareness for this plant species has diminished its
value and now its availability is also on the verge of being eliminated in the area.
Aside from anthropogenic threats and natural disasters, actions on mitigating
such threats were said to be operational. Around 40% of the informants have
witnessed some conservation efforts from the LGU, agricultural agencies and
universities. They reported that these agencies conduct programs and activities
that raised awareness on the significance of these plants. It also showed that
85.83% of the informants were willing to help in growing these plants and
89.17% of them were ready to help in their conservation. The presence of threats
to WEPs has not generated any kind of urgency in plant conservation. Moreover,
the willingness of the people in preserving them only heightens immediate action
for their conservation as part of Cebu’s flora.

CONCLUSION

The wild edible plants in Cebu are rich and diverse. WEPs manifest
tangible economic values to small communities, thus, evaluation on their trade
potentials as horticultural crops can contribute to alternative sources of income
and employment. These plants also provided food in times of scarcity. Their
potential in relieving food crisis in these small communities may prove good
alternative options to lessen food crisis in bigger communities if disseminated
and propagated. Although there are existing threats to their diversity in the wild,
increased awareness on their use value and their sustainable harvesting may
potentially influence communities’ perspective on how to manage these limited
resources. Persistent effort to disseminate the potential benefits that WEPs may
provide will be the first step to capacitate communities to be involved in the
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propagation, utilization and conservation of wild edible plants.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Results of this study, particularly on the aspect of floristics and use value
may be utilized as benchmark information to investigate further the genetic
diversity of WEPs. As we brace ourselves against potential impacts of climate
change to our food security, we need to ensure that resilient crops such as WEPs
are available, in the event that our staple food will not be sufficient enough to
feed local communities. Their distribution in the wild and adaptation to varying
ecological landscapes are essential avenues for future research so that we can
understand which of these WEPs can occupy wide or narrow ranges of habitats.
Habitat suitability data may be used further to investigate which WEPs can be
naturally grown in urban landscapes, and identify those that are adaptable to
urban habitats. Investigating the WEPs’ bioactive compounds, pharmacological
properties and heat shock proteins are interesting avenues for future
research which are essential knowledge base to help us fully maximize the
benefits of WEPs to human lives in particular, and the environment, in general.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We acknowledge the support of the Local Government Unit of the municipality

of Catmon, Carmen, Alcoy and Toledo City, particularly in providing
logistic assistance during the data collection and survey. We also thank the
community residents in the mountain barangays of these municipalities for the
participation and generosity in providing information and facilitating
knowledge transfer to the researchers. Finally, we thank DENR-7, CNU
Biology Department and the CNU Research Institute of Tropical Biology and
Pharmacological Biotechnology for the assistance in the conduct of the study.

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