Local knowledge about native food plants in brazilian chaco

Abstract

The aim of this study was to verify how many and which are the Chaco food species used by three groups of residents in Porto Murtinho municipally, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil and among these, which would be more important. The vegetation of the sampled area is typical of the Chaco. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews focused on local women and men from ages between 18 and 80 years. Respondents’ selection was through drawings, through locals’ indications of key-informers and the snowball technique. A total of 106 people had been interviewed, mentioning 29 wild food species. Fabaceae presented the highest number of species known for food uses. The species with the highest General Use Value (food, medicinal, construction and others) and Food Use Value was Copernicia alba (Arecales, Areaceae). Acrocomia aculeata (Arecales, Arecaceae) was the only species mentioned in all three surveys. Species richness was considered hight when compared with other communities on the Chaco in South America. Typical Chaco species such as Prosopis rubrifolia (Fabales, Fabaceae) had been mentioned in this study, expanding information on popular knowledge regarding local flora. The low use value of most of the species can be related to the fact that most of the respondents live in the urban area or its neighborhoods.