The genus Cyclopia (honeybush) in South Africa: a scientometric assessment of research trends

Abstract

Honeybush tea (genus Cyclopia) is a commercially significant herbal tea in South Africa, with increasing global demand in recent decades. This scientometric analysis examines the growth of research on honeybush identifies key trends, influential authors, and the most important research domains. This study analyzed 169 scholarly papers from the last three decades. Despite its historical use and commercialization potential, scientific publications on honeybush have been relatively limited until the mid-2000s whereafter there is an increase, potentially reflecting the recent increase in interest due to a growing market. The findings reveal that most research is concentrated on a few commercially important species, particularly C. genistoides and C. subternata. There is a notable increase in collaborative and multidisciplinary studies over time. Most research focuses on chemical composition, pharmacology, molecular biology, and agriculture, while conservation and processing research is still largely lacking. Future research should focus on addressing gaps in conservation, exploring ploidy within the genus and developing effective honeybush processing practices, all of which will support sustainable commercialization.