Ethnobotanical knowledge of edible plants in a karst landscape of Gawang Hamlet, Ketro Village, Pacitan District, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract. Safitri RN, Hanum U, Pratiwi VMR, Hermawan WG, Nurcahyati M, Budiharta S, Setyawan AD. 2025. Ethnobotanical knowledge of edible plants in a karst landscape of Gawang Hamlet, Ketro Village, Pacitan District, Indonesia. Intl J Trop Drylands 9: 85-97. Karst ecosystems pose significant agricultural challenges due to shallow soils, poor water retention, and rugged terrain; however, local communities have developed adaptive food systems rooted in traditional knowledge. This ethnobotanical study documented the diversity and utilization of edible plants in Gawang Hamlet, Ketro Village, Pacitan District, East Java, Indonesia, and assessed their cultural significance using the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) index. Data were collected from 60 informants through structured questionnaires, interviews, and field observations. A total of 65 edible plant species from 36 families were recorded, dominated by vegetables (47.0%), spices (24.2%), fruits (21.2%), and staple foods (7.6%). The most frequently cited species were Manihot esculenta (RFC=0.95), Curcuma longa, and Arachis hypogaea. Fruits and leaves were the most utilized parts, and shrubs and herbs dominated the growth forms. Quantitative analysis was conducted using the RFC index, and patterns of species multifunctionality were visualized through a heatmap and a Venn diagram to highlight overlapping use categories. The high species diversity and multifunctionality reflect local ecological adaptation and are closely tied to socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, and occupation. Importantly, home gardens were found to function as hubs of subsistence, biodiversity conservation, and intergenerational knowledge transfer, underscoring their crucial role in the community. These findings highlight the critical role of traditional agroecosystems in ensuring food security and sustaining cultural and ecological resilience in karst environments.