concept

relative frequency of citation

Also known as: RFC

Facts (29)

Sources

Ethnobotanical study of food plants used in traditional medicine in ... link.springer.com Springer Nov 26, 2025 18 facts

measurementThe plant species Annona stenophylla has 13 citations and a Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) of 0.026.

measurementThe botanical family Fabaceae had the highest number of recorded medicinal food plant species with seven species and a Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) of 0.099.

claimPlant species with Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) values ranging from 0.018 to 0.002 may represent specialized or context-specific knowledge primarily maintained by traditional healers.

measurementOther plant species with high citation frequencies in the Quitexe municipality study included Ochna afzelii (18 citations, RFC = 0.037), Persea americana (17 citations, RFC = 0.035), Gymnanthemum glaberrimum and Zingiber officinale (16 citations each, RFC = 0.033), Monodora myristica and Psidium guajava (15 citations each, RFC = 0.031), and Canarium schweinfurthii (14 citations, RFC = 0.029).

measurementThe most frequently reported plant species in the Quitexe municipality study was Mangifera indica (39 citations, RFC = 0.079), followed by Mondia whitei (22 citations, RFC = 0.045) and Vitex madiensis (21 citations, RFC = 0.043).

measurementThe plant species Allium sativum and Hibiscus acetosella each have 11 citations and a Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) of 0.022.

claimThe high Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) values for plants like Mangifera indica, Aframomum melegueta, and Vitex species indicate their significant cultural salience and broad therapeutic or nutritional applications within the studied communities in Quitexe, Angola.

measurementThe Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) values for specific plants in the Quitexe, Angola study are: Mangifera indica (0.043), Aframomum melegueta (0.039), Vitex madiensis (0.039), Vitex doniana (0.035), Monodora myristica (0.035), Corymbia citriodora (0.032), and Mentha × piperita (0.0303).

measurementPlant species with Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) values of 0.01 or less were mentioned by only a limited number of informants.

measurementBurseraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Moraceae, Myrtaceae, Piperaceae, Rutaceae, and Verbenaceae each had two recorded medicinal food plant species with a Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) of 0.028.

measurementThe plant species Chromolaena odorata and Pachylobus edulis were each mentioned 10 times with a Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) of 0.020.

measurementAnacardiaceae, Arecaceae, and Zingiberaceae each had three recorded medicinal food plant species with a Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) of 0.042.

measurementThe remaining taxa in the study exhibited Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) values ranging from 0.018 to 0.002.

claimLow Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) values for plant species may indicate knowledge confined to specific social groups, ecological scarcity, or specialized symbolic/ritual significance rather than reduced cultural relevance.

claimThe plant species Mangifera indica, Mondia whitei, and Vitex madiensis are culturally salient taxa with high Frequency of Citation (FC) and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) values.

claimThe variation in Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) values highlights the heterogeneity of local knowledge systems and the differential accessibility of plant resources.

measurementAsteraceae, Lamiaceae, Malvaceae, and Poaceae each had four recorded medicinal food plant species with a Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) of 0.056.

measurementAnnonaceae and Solanaceae each had five recorded medicinal food plant species with a Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) of 0.070.

Ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants in Shabelle Zone, Eastern ... link.springer.com Springer Feb 5, 2026 8 facts

measurementThe Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) for wild edible plant parts in the Shabelle Zone is 0.91 for fruits, 0.77 for tubers, 0.67 for roots, 0.53 for leaves, 0.44 for resin, and 0.35 for stems.

measurementIn the Shabelle Zone of Ethiopia, the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) analysis indicates that rainy-season wild edible plant species are the most dominant, with an RFC value of 0.49.

claimQuantitative measures used in the Shabelle Zone WEP study, specifically the Botanical Ethnoknowledge Index (BEI) and Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), depended on participant recall, which could lead to under- or over-reporting of data.

measurementFruits represent the most important use of wild edible plants in the Shabelle Zone, with the highest Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC = 0.91).

procedureThe popularity of wild edible plants in the Shabelle Zone was assessed using the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), informant consensus, and reported usage patterns.

measurementThe Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) analysis for wild edible plants in the Shabelle Zone indicates they are most significant during the rainy season (RFC = 0.49), followed by the dry season (RFC = 0.36), and year-round availability (RFC = 0.10).

claimThe Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) evaluates the local significance of wild edible plant species by measuring how often they are mentioned by informants, with values ranging from 0 (no mention) to 1 (highest level of recognition).

procedureThe study of wild edible plants in Shabelle Zone, Eastern Ethiopia, utilized the Botanical Ethnoknowledge Index, Relative Frequency of Citation, Informant Consensus Factor, and Jaccard Similarity Index to evaluate species importance and knowledge patterns.

Ethnobotanical study of wild edible plants in the mountainous ... link.springer.com Springer Oct 4, 2024 3 facts

claimThe ethnobotanical importance indices calculated in the study include usage reports (URs), relative frequency of citation (RFC), and usage value (UV).

formulaThe Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) is calculated by dividing the Frequency of Citation (FC) of a species by the total number of informants.

referenceThe study defines the following abbreviations for ethnobotanical metrics: URs (Usage reports), RFC (Relative frequency of citation), UV (Usage value), FC (Frequency of citation), WEPs (Wild edible plants), N (Number), and JI (Jaccard index).