Ethnobotany study on the medicinal plant used by Rungus ethnics in Matunggong Kudat, Sabah / Ellisra Geluing

This study focus on the medicinal plant used by Rungus ethnics in four selected villages namely Kg. Bavanggazo, Kg. Rondomon, Kg. Indarasan Sava and Kg. Sumangkap that located at Matuggong, Kudat, Sabah. Objective of this study is to identify the medicinal plants used by Rungus ethnics, to develop the dichotomous key of the plants and, to determine the Use Value of the medicinal plants used by Rungus ethnics at Matunggong Kudat, Sabah. Method used in this study including questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with the Traditional Medicinal Practitioner (TMP) to gather information. Plants sample was collected and dried by using herbarium process. Then, use value (UV) was calculated using formula. This study had recorded 45 medicinal plant species of 42 genera belonging to 33 families from a total of nine informers. The highest plant growth habit of the Rungus medicinal plant was trees (38%), followed by shrub (23%), and forb (14%). The most frequently utilized plants part were roots (33%), second highest was leaves (31%), and third was shoots (11%). The highest method used in preparation of medicinal plant was decoctions (66%) followed by crushing and paste (20%), and crude method (8%). The highest disease treated was stomach ache, second was headache and the third was diarrhea. The species with the highest use-value (0.33) was Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Simaroubaceae), second highest use-value (0.22) was Labisia pumila Benth. & Hook, f (Myrsinaceae), and the third highest use value (0.11) was Stachytarpheta jamaicensis L. Vahl, (Verbenaceae). Ethnobotany studies on Rungus ethnics need to be further expanded. Knowledge-based activities of the traditional medicine should be implemented and elders should carry out their responsibilities to bring down the precious knowledge to children and grandchildren so that such knowledge is not lost in the era of modernisation.