ABSTRACT

Nigeria is rich in many natural plants which serve as fruits, foods, spices and drugs. Human being depends on these plants because of their medicinal and food values especially their seeds and fruits which provide essential dietary supplements which are rich in vitamins A and C. The use of these plants seeds as part or desert with main dish is largely allied to the traditional food habits. The seeds of some plant are freely consumed independently because, many of the indigenous seeds obtained from widely distributed plants, their gathering, distribution and marketing have created opportunities for employment of a number of rural and urban inhabitants. There are many wild and semi wild or protected species which yield valuable seeds, fruits, leave and nuts, and are therefore extensively exploited. Research has shown that apart from their medicinal, food and nutritive values, some seeds can contain harmful chemicals. Some of these plants species are endangered, this is based largely on the fact that little or no effort is made to propagate the indigenous species in spite of the increase in demand for their products. Some of the factors that may contribute to the predisposition of the species to extinction include their natural habitats of the plants including forest and other stages, vegetation changes which are threatened by intensive agriculture, unknown development and other infrastructural expansion. As mentioned earlier, many of the seed tress are highly cherished and there is a great deal of demand for the products by old and young people including those overseas. There are pressures on existing protected or wild plants, some of which are wholly or partially cut to harvest the seed.