Abstract

MARTINEZ-LOPEZ, G.; PALACIOS-RANGEL, M.I.; GUIZAR NOLAZCO, E.  and  VILLANUEVA MORALES, A.. Local uses and tradition: ethnobotanical study of usefel plants in San Pablo Cuatro Venados (Valles Centrales, Oaxaca). Polibotánica [online]. 2021, n.52, pp.193-212.  Epub Oct 18, 2021. ISSN 1405-2768.  https://doi.org/10.18387/polibotanica.52.13.

Oaxaca is a state with a vast socio-cultural wealth in which nature has played a decisive role, its diversity in culture coupled with its wealth of species has led to various researchers are concerned about the collection of knowledge and expertise that make up these characteristics. An ethnobotanical study was carried out in San Pablo Cuatro Venados, Oaxaca, with the purpose of documenting the traditional knowledge of the use, handling and conservation of wild flora, for which a description of the plants that were identified as useful was made. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observation to collect information on the species; later, collection tours were carried out for subsequent identification. A list of 93 species with direct use was obtained, which were classified into four categories: medicinal (56%), edible (18%), ornamental (13%) and use in tools (9%). According to the botanical record of each species, these were grouped into 43 families, the most frequent being Asteraceae with 40% of the species, followed by the Fabaceae family with 16% and Labiatae with 12%. Likewise, the importance of the selected species in each of the categories was determined by means of quantitative indicators and those with the highest frequency of direct use by the informants were identified. In this way, we contributed to the documentation of traditional knowledge and highlighted its importance in the management and conservation of local biodiversity.

Keywords : Central Valleys of Oaxaca; Ethnobotany; traditional knowledge; herbalism.

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