Woldu, Zerihun (Professor)Atsbeha, Genet2018-06-292023-11-092018-06-292023-11-092012-06http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/5108This study was carried out in Laelay and Tahtay Maichew districts. Objectives of the study were to: identify herbaceous flowering plant species found in the study area, to identify community types of the vegetation of the study area, to document the ethnobotanical importance of wild grasses and to sample wild grass hosts of stem borers that can be used as trap plants in the pushpull pest management approach. Within 65 sample quadrats, different herbaceous species were collected for taxonomic identification using preferential sampling method and coded for an analysis from 1m x 1m sub-quadrats placed within 20m x 20m quadrat. For ethnobotanical importance of wild grasses data was collected using semi-structured interview, guided field walk and direct observation, preference ranking, direct matrix ranking, group discussion and informant consensus. A total of 132 herbaceous flowering plant species of vascular plants belonging to 99 genera and 34 families were identified. With regards to species number, the most dominant plant family is Poaceae (34 species), followed by Asteraceae (16 species), Fabaceae (14 species). Four community types were also identified at 47.94% to 31.42% similarity levels. With regards to ethnobotanical importance of wild grasses, preference ranking indicated that, the most preferred grasses for animal feed are Cynodon dactylon followed by Cynodon aethiopicus, Snowdenia polystathya, Pennisetum villosum and Pennisetum sphacelatum 1st, 2nd, 3rd,4thand 5th respectively. Wild grass hosts of the stem borers was searched and among the large stemmed wild grasses known from the study area larvae and pupae of Busseola fusca and Sesamia calamistis-stem borers of maize and sorghum were found in Pennisetum purpureum. Key Phrases: Laelay and Tahtay Maichew districts, floristic composition of herbaceous flowering plant species, ethnobotanical importance of wild grasses, wild grass hosts of stem borersenLaelay and Tahtay Maichew districtsfloristic composition of herbaceous flowering plant speciesethnobotanical importance of wild grasseswild grass hosts of stem borersFloristic Composition of Herbaceous Flowering Plant Species with Emphasis to Ethnobotanical Importance of Wild Grasses in Laelay and Tahtay Michew Districts, Central Zone of Tigray, EthiopiaThesis