Associate Professor Lerato Seleteng-Kose
About me
Lerato Seleteng-Kose holds a PhD in Botany from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She has a collective working experience of 29 years, 23 of which emanate from teaching and research. She is currently an Associate Professor based in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology at the National University of Lesotho (NUL). She has supervised 4 Masters students. Her research has resulted in 23 academic publications (namely; 21 journal articles, a book and a book chapter). Associate Professor Seleteng-Kose is passionate about research in medicinal plants, and this yielded a potential Covid-19 Traditional Medicine Product, which was found to be active against two strains of Coronavirus by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria, South Africa in 2020. Consequently, she has received two honorary awards from: i) the Commonwealth Business-Women Network - Africa Office in Kenya; and ii) E-Net Health, South Africa. She has since commercialized her research by establishing a company (known as Unlimited Health) which develops innovative medicinal plant products.
Lerato Seleteng-Kose holds a PhD in Botany from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. She has a collective working experience of 29 years, 23 of which emanate from teaching and research. She is currently an Associate Professor based in the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology at the National University of Lesotho (NUL). Her institution has also assigned her to serve as Lesotho’s Scientific Authority Focal Point for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Assoc. Prof. Seleteng-Kose has supervised four master’s dissertations and served as an External Examiner in five postgraduate dissertations (1 PhD and 4 Masters – in South Africa). Her research has resulted in 23 academic publications (namely; 21 journal articles, a book namely: A Checklist of Lesotho Grasses, and a book chapter - Grassland Biome in the book: The Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland). She has presented her research findings in 19 academic conferences – nationally and internationally.
Assoc. Prof. Seleteng-Kose is very passionate about research in medicinal plants, and this yielded a potential Covid-19 Traditional Medicine Product, which was found to be active against two strains of Coronavirus (SARS Cov2 and MERS Cov) by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria, South Africa in 2020. Consequently, she has received two honorary awards from: i) the Commonwealth Business-Women Network (CBWN) - Africa Office in Kenya; and ii) E-Net Health, South Africa. She has since commercialized her research by establishing a company (known as Unlimited Health) which develops innovative herbal products from medicinal plants.
Lerato Seleteng-Kose has diversified from academia by establishing a consultancy company (known as Unlimited Consulting Services), under which she has undertaken various assignments viz. i) Conducted 21 Biodiversity/Ecological Surveys as part of Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) prior to various construction works in Lesotho; ii) Developed two Project Documents for Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded projects; iii) Developed the third National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) for Lesotho; iv) Provided short-term training to staff from other institutions on: a) Plant Identification Methodologies (Department of Environment Staff); b) Research and Manuscript Writing for Publication (National Health Training Centre Staff); c) Monitoring and Evaluation for WaterNet Trust (staff from various government institutions). Assoc. Prof. Seleteng-Kose is currently the Technical Advisor of the GEF 6 funded Project (Integrated Watershed Management for improved Agro-pastoral livelihoods in the Sebapala Sub-Catchment). She is also a member of the South African Association of Botanists (SAAB) since 2015.
Other Memberships/Affiliations
Degrees:
1. Retselisitsoe J. Stephen, Lerato Seleteng-Kose, Botle Mapeshoane, Makoala V. Marake, Peter Chatanga, 2026. Comparison of the Efficacy of Different Bush Control Methods in a Montane Rangeland. Rangeland Ecology & Management, 104 (2026): 20-34.
II. Lisebo Motjotj and Lerato Seleteng-Kose, 2025. Socio-Economic Factors Influencing trade of Medicinal Plants in the Informal Market of Maseru City, Lesotho. Journal of Herbal Medicine and Medicinal plants, 2: 1-12.
III. Moselantja Rahlao, Lerato Seleteng-Kose, Peter Chatanga, Botle Mapeshoane, Makoala V. Marake, 2023. Ecological impacts of Rosa rubiginosa on rangelands: Case of Mphaki, in Quthing district, Lesotho. South African Journal of Botany, 163: 376-388.
IV. Lerotholi, N., Seleteng‐Kose, L., Odenya, W., Chatanga, P., Mapeshoane, B., Marake, M.V., 2023. Impact of mechanical shrub removal on encroached mountain rangelands in Lesotho, southern Africa. African Journal of Ecology 62 (1), e13203.
V. Stephen, R.J., Chatanga, P., Seleteng‐Kose, L., Mapeshoane, B., Marake, M.V., 2023. Herbaceous vegetation changes along a bush encroachment intensity gradient in a montane area. African Journal of Ecology. DOI: 10.1111/aje.13192.
VI. Motjotji, L., Moteetee, A., Seleteng-Kose, L., 2023. Medicinal plants of Lesotho: A review of ethnomedicinal, pharmacological and conservation studies. Ethnobotany Research and Applications, 25, 1-19.
VII. Seleteng-Kose, L.E., Likoetla, P., Motjotji, L., 2023. Plants of Commercial Importance in Lesotho: Ethnobotanical and Pharmacological Insights. Cosmetics, 10(1), 28.
VIII. Seleteng-Kose, L. 2022. Commercial traditional herbal mixtures sold in the Maseru District of Lesotho. Journal of Herbal Medicine, 33 p.100560.
IX. Seleteng-Kose, L., Kobisi, K., Maimane, K., Moteetee, A. 2022. The concept of Lekhala and its limitations in understanding the genus Aloe in Lesotho. South African Journal of African Languages, 42(1), 31-36.
X. Seleteng Kose, L., Moteetee, A., van Vuuren, S., 2021. Ethnobotany, toxicity and antibacterial activity of medicinal plants used in the Maseru District of Lesotho for the treatment of selected infectious diseases. South African Journal of Botany, 143, 141-154.
XI. Seleteng-Kose, L., Kobisi, K., Pool-Stanvliet, R., Mohapi, K., 2021. A rapid biodiversity assessment of Lesotho’s first proposed Biosphere Reserve: a case study of Bokong Nature Reserve and Tšehlanyane National Park. Bothalia, African Biodiversity & Conservation, 51(2).
XII. Kahlolo, N., Mapeshoane, B., Chatanga, P., Seleteng-Kose, L., Marake, M.V., 2021. Vegetation and associated environmental conditions of the high-altitude Letšeng-la-Letsie palustrine wetland, a Ramsar Site in Lesotho. Wetlands, 41(6), 1-15.
XIII. Chatanga, P., Seleteng-Kose, L., 2021. Montane Palustrine Wetlands of Lesotho: Vegetation, Ecosystem Services, Current Status, Threats and Conservation. Wetlands, 41(6), 1-19.
XIV. Kahlolo, N., Mapeshoane, B., Chatanga, P., Seleteng-Kose, L., Marake, M.V., 2021. Assessing wetland functionality using soil surface indicators in Letšeng-la-Letsie wetland in Quthing District, Lesotho. African Journal of Range & Forage Science, 38(1),110-121. 4
XV. Kobisi, K., Seleteng-Kose, L., Moteetee, A., 2019. Invasive alien plants occurring in Lesotho: their ethnobotany, potential risks, distribution and origin. Bothalia- African Biodiversity & Conservation 49(1), a2453.
XVI. Seleteng-Kose, L., Moteetee, A., van Vuuren, S., 2019. Medicinal plants used for the treatment of sexually transmitted infections in the Maseru District, Lesotho: Antimicrobial validation, phytochemical and cytotoxicity studies. South African Journal of Botany 122, 457-466.
XVII. Moteetee, A., Moffett, R.O., Seleteng-Kose, L., 2018. A review of the ethnobotany of the Basotho of Lesotho and the Free State Province of South Africa (South Sotho). South African Journal of Botany 122, 21-56.
XVIII. Moteetee, A., Seleteng Kose, L., 2017. A review of medicinal plants used by the Basotho for treatment of skin disorders: their phytochemical, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory potential. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine 14(5), 121-137.
XIX. Kobisi, K., Seleteng Kose, L., Moteetee, A., 2017. Two new records of flowering plants from Lesotho. Bothalia – African Biodiversity & Conservation 47(1), a2099.
XX. Moteetee, A. Seleteng Kose, L., 2016. Medicinal plants used in Lesotho for treatment of reproductive and post reproductive problems. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 194, 827- 849.
XXI. Seleteng Kose, L., Moteetee, A., van Vuuren, S., 2015. Ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants used in the Maseru district of Lesotho. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 170, 184-200.
BOOK:
Kobisi, K., Kose, L.E. 2003. A checklist of Lesotho grasses. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No.17. Pretoria. ISBN 1-919795-68-5.
BOOK CHAPTER:
Mucina, L., Hoare, D., Lotter, M.C., du Preez, P., Rutherford, C., Scott-Shaw, R., Bredenkamp, G.J., Powrie, L.W.,... Kose, L., 2006. Grassland Biome. in Ladislav, M. and Rutherford, M.C. (eds). The Vegetation of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. Strelizia19. South African Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. ISBN-13.978-1-919976-21-1.