Food is a primary human need. Various foods are initially obtained from plant species. Village people have used various food plants based on local knowledge and belief. The aims of this research were to elucidate (1) various food plants traditionally utilization by local people of the Bulumario Village, North Sumatra; (2) plant organs of food plants that are traditionally used by the local people of Bulumario village. The method used in this study was qualitative. Data were collected through surveys, interviews, and participatory observation. A total of 46 respondents were interviewed consisting of 22 men and 24 women who determined by purposive sampling. Data were analyzed was descriptively using descriptive statistics. A total of 83 species belonging to 66 genera and 36 families have been used by local communities in Bulumario village as foodstuffs. Those used as a source of carbohydrates (7 species), fruit sources (15 species), vegetables (32 species), and spices (21 species). Based on plant part used, the foodstuffs are fruit (34 species), leaves (21 species), and stems (13 species).  The composition of food plants are cultivated (53 species), wild (18 species), and semi-cultivated (12 species). Solanum torvum, Garcinia attrovidis, Etlingera elatior, and Zanthoxylum acanthopodium are spices especially in Bulumario Village which have bioactivity as an antimicrobial so they are potential to be developed as a natural preservative. Pakkat (Calamus hookerianus, Calamus metzianus, Calamus thwaitesii and Plectocomiopsis geminiflora) have the potential to be developed as a vegetable or carbohydrate source.

Ethnobotany is interdisciplinary study of human and plants practical use. The study was conducted in Bulu Mario Village in Sipirok District, South Tapanuli. Bulu Mario Village is directly contiguous to the Sibual-Buali wildlife sanctuary. It has an area of about 3000 ha inhabited by 53 householders with a population of 1,319 people. The study was conducted to examine the extent of inhabitants' knowledge toward medicinal use of the plants. The data collection was done by doing field surveys, interviews, and participatory observation under ethnobotany study approach. The data were analyzed by descriptive analysis. Majority People in Bulumario Village are prefer using traditional medicine from plants when it comes to medical treatment. The locals' tradition regarding to various medicinal plants, how to harvest and apply it are all inherited by their ancestors. The people of Bulumariovillage have been used 65 species of medicinal plants belonging to 37 families for treatment.