african-flora
African flora encompasses the diverse plant species native to the African continent, ranging from tropical rainforest vegetation to arid savanna and desert-adapted plants. This botanical diversity is significant for plant science as it offers insights into unique adaptations to extreme climates, high rates of endemism, and evolutionary lineages that inform broader understanding of plant resilience and biodiversity conservation.
open_in_new WikipediaEurope PMC · 2026-06-19
A systematic review of 20 African studies found that medicinal plant extracts can kill cattle ticks resistant to chemical pesticides, with 40% of tested plants showing high effectiveness. The tick species targeted, Rhipicephalus microplus, has spread resistance to synthetic treatments globally, making plant-based alternatives increasingly urgent.
40% of the 20 qualifying studies reported high tick mortality from plant extracts; 35% reported moderate efficacy; 25% reported low efficacy.
Plants from 26 families were tested; Asteraceae (daisy family, n=7) and Lamiaceae (mint family, n=7) were most studied, followed by Fabaceae (legume family, n=5).
Only 20 studies out of 2,046 retrieved met inclusion criteria, revealing a major gap in African research on plant-based tick control.