Ecological apparency, ethnobotanical importance and perceptions of population status of wild-growing medicinal plants in a reserve of south-central Mexico.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The apparency hypothesis in ethnobotany (common plants are used more than less frequent ones) has been studied mostly by comparing usefulness with woody plant density, or large plants (trees) with herbs, with uneven results. Here, we explore the hypothesis for wild-growing medicinal plants, separately for different life forms. Two methodological subjects relevant for testing the hypothesis are also treated: We compare various importance indicators, including recent use, and evaluate active healers' knowledge of plant population size. The study area was the Tenancingo-Malinalco-Zumpahuacán Protected Natural Area in central Mexico in the upper part of the Balsas River Basin, a biogeographic region with a long tradition of using wild medicinal species.

Methods

Previo

SUBMITTER: Lopez-Patino EJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9652844 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature