The potency of medicinal plants in production forest of Bantaeng, South Sulawesi

Herbs can contribute not only to ecological function, but also to being a source of food, energy, and medicinal ingredients. This study is to identify and discover the potential of medicinal plants. The study took a site at the Production Forest of Eremerasa, Bantaeng regency. The sampling was performed systematically random by considering land use units. Data collection of medicinal plant species was performed using vegetation analysis methods. Determination of the observation plot followed the land use unit map. The observation was carried out using a 20x20 m plot with an amount of 13 plots applied. The study covered 0.008125 Ha area, successfully identified 14 herb species. The obtained data indicate the moderate biodiversity of plants. Whereas, only 4 herb species are often used by the community around the production forest, namely Ageratum conyzoides, Bryophyllum pinnatum, L. camara, and Melastoma malabathricum, while the 10 remaining species are very rarely to utilize.


Introduction
Indonesia bears very complex biodiversity that includes the rich of medicinal plants [1]. Therefore, Indonesia becomes the best herbal medicine country in the world. Natural medicine is very dependent on medicinal plants [2]. Some conducted studies estimated 130 species of plants containing medicinal properties that are potentially useful for various diseases are grown in Tropical Forests of Indonesia [3].
Medicinal plants are being an option for common to overcome certain diseases since it is considered safe, not causing any side effects and dependence effects even if consumed in high doses. The utilization of medicinal plants is increasing with the global issue of "back to nature". Treatment using traditional medicines derived from plants is a long-standing cultural heritage which is now a potential and being a basic capital to be developed [4,5]. Currently throughout the world, traditional pharmacopoeia are being developed because they have an important role in the discovery of new molecules of therapeutic interests [4].
There are many plant species in the forest ranging from trees, wild plants, undergrowth (herbaceous plants) and [6]. Herbaceous plants can contribute not only to ecological function, but also to being a source of food, energy, and medicinal ingredients [7].
A study by Benekdita, et al (2018) [8] found that the most widely used habitus after the tree is the herb that poses 28.5%. The utilization of herbs for traditional medicine is already performed by communities around the IUPPHHK-HTI area in Mempawah regency.
Production forest in Eremerasa, Bantaeng regency is one of the Production Forest areas with high biodiversity potential. This study is important as it tries to collect data and information as well to discover potential plant species as the medicinal plants. Thus, this study aims to identify and discover the potential of medicinal plants at the herb level.

Location
The study took a site at the Production Forest of Eremerasa, Bantaeng regency. The study spent 3 months duration to implement, started from December 2018 to February 2019.

Materials
The study used a map of the site, raffia ropes, "tay" sheets, tape measure, compass, machete, camera, GPS, and stationery.

Research methods
The sampling was performed systematically random by considering land use units. Data collection on medicinal plant species was performed using vegetation analysis methods. Determination of the observation plot followed the land use unit map. The observation was carried out using a 20x20 m plot with an amount of 13 plots applied.  Figure 1. Illustration of data collection method for vegetation analysis. A. Observation plot of tree (20mx50m), tree with a diameter>20 cm; B. Observation plot pole (10m x 10m), tree with a diameter of 10-20 cm; C. Observation plot sapling (5m x 5m), a young-like tree with a high 1.5 m and diameter <10 cm; D. Observation plot of seedling/herbaceous plant (2m x 2m), a seedling with a high no more than 1.5 m [9].    The calculation of the diversity index obtained a value of 2.34. The value indicates that species diversity is moderate. The result is in accordance with Ludwing & Reynold (1988), state that if the value of the Shannon-Wiener species diversity index is 1 ≤ H '≤ 3, the diversity of species in a plot is moderate.

Diversity Index of plants
The moderate value diversity index reveals potential medicinal plants in the Production Forests of the Pa'bumbungan, Bantaeng Regency are still relatively small. The moderate value indicates that, in the location, the complexity level of the herbaceous plants is relatively moderate, which means the occurring interaction is not so high and the ability to deal with disturbances is relatively moderate. Ernikawati (2017) stated that the non-seedling phase species could be triggered by several factors that become obstacles. One of the factors is environmental disturbance by humans.

Conclusions
1) The diversity of herbaceous plant species found in the production forests of Pa'bumbungan district, Bantaeng regency consists of 14 families and 14 species. 2) There are only 4 species are often utilized by locals around the Production Forest area, namely Ageratum conyzoides, Bryophyllum pinnatum, L. camara, and Melastoma malabathricum, while the rest 10 species are very rarely utilized.