Diversity and distribution of the Huastec Mayan medicinal plants: hotspots for bioprospecting and conservation.

ABSTRACT: The multi-ethnic biocultural region Huasteca in Mexico has a variety of practices, including the use of traditional plant-based medicine. Here, we analyse the diversity and distribution of the medicinal plants used by the Tenek culture, to identify hotspots for bioprospecting and conservation. We describe their diversity, growth forms, origin and endemism, classes of diseases, parts used and conservation risk status. A total of 468 plant species used for medicinal purposes were recorded, from 113 families and 350 genera. More than 50% of the species richness is concentrated in 10 families and 11 genera. A total of 418 species are native, 23 of them are endemic, while 50 are non-native. These species are obtained from one or more habitats, including 356 from the wild, 237 from home gardens,

SUBMITTER: Cupido M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12706493 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature