**2. Materials and Methods**

### *2.1. Native and Alien Woody Flora of South Africa*

The present study focuses on South Africa but literature across Southern Africa, which includes Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe, was also consulted for the purpose of a comprehensive documentation of information. For example, native and alien plants to South Africa and their uses have been reported in various sources across Southern Africa. The Southern Africa's woody flora comprises approximately 2200 native species [21,33,34]. Of this native flora, 1190 species are included in the present study. This list includes 210 intentionally introduced alien species now documented as naturalized in South Africa. In total, 1400 species are included in our study, of which 1190 species are native, and 210 species are naturalized alien species.
