Collection and use of traditional plants in Paihuano: an ethnobotanical characterization
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56116/cms.v65.n4.2025.2324Keywords:
traditional knowledge, participatory mapping, Elqui Valley, traditional use plants, cultural heritageAbstract
This study is part of the project "Traditional knowledge and uses of wild plants in the commune of Paihuano", financed by Fondo del Patrimonio Cultural, Gobierno de Chile. Its objective was to characterize the collection areas of plants of traditional use in the commune of Paihuano, Coquimbo Region, Chile. For this purpose, during the year 2022, workshops were conducted with people of the commune of Paihuano, where through the methodology of participatory mapping and ethnobotanical interviews, plants of traditional use were identified, their collection sites and their uses.
A total of 121 species were identified, distributed in 41 sites, highlighting the riparian zones with high diversity. Fourteen uses were documented, of which seven had not been reported for the study area. Medicinal and food uses were the most frequent. The results increased by 144.5% the previous list of plants used for different human activities described in the specialized literature.
The results of this article contribute to the conservation and valorization of the natural and cultural heritage, highlighting the importance of local knowledge to learn about plants with traditional uses.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Verónica Leon Araya, Milen Duarte , Antonio Maldonado, Halszka Pałeczek, Nat Jofré-Poblete, Camila Viveros-Wyss
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