Brazilian Amazonian palm-stem types and uses: a review

Tatiani Yuriko Pinheiro Kikuchi,Cátia Henriques Callado

doi:10.1590/1809-4392202004682

Abstract

ABSTRACT Palms may be an important source of renewable raw material to replace wood, however, the uses of the stems of native species of the Brazil are known only at the local or regional level. We carried out a literature review on the traditional knowledge of the uses of the stems of palm species native to the Amazon biome in Brazil, and related the types of uses with morphological characteristics of the stems. The review resulted in information on 45 species with solitary or cespitose stems, and six stem-size types: tall (15 species), medium-short (3), medium (5), small (17), acaulescent (1) and climbing (4). We found 80 indications of stem use in seven categories and 14 subcategories. A similarity analysis showed that, in general, tall, medium-short, medium, small (≥ 10 cm in diameter) and climbing stem types, solitary or cespitous, are used for construction, furniture, handicrafts, utensils, tools and musical instruments. Only small stems (< 10 cm diameter) are used to manufacture weapons for hunting and fishing, and climbing stems are used in the manufacture of ropes. Stems of Socratea exorrhiza, Euterpe oleracea and Desmoncus polyacanthos are the most frequently used to meet subsistence needs in traditional communities in the Brazilian Amazon. Our findings indicate that there is a potential for use of several native palm stems as sources for alternative materials in the manufacture industry and as sustainable income sources for Amazonian communities.

Highlights

There are about 378 species of 71 genera of palms (Arecaceae/ Palmae) in Brazil, distributed in all Brazilian biomes
Brazilian Amazonian palm-stem types and uses contribution to human well-being and the regional economy are unknown to the general public (Clement et al 2005)
The survey of printed media involved scientific papers, dissertations, theses and books cataloged in the libraries of nine Brazilian institutions: Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG), Embrapa Amazônia Oriental (CPATU), Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia (UFRA), Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA) and Universidade do Estado do Pará (UEPA) in the northern state of Pará; Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA) in the state of Amazonas; and Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro (JBRRJ), Museu Nacional da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MN/ UFRJ) and Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) in Rio de Janeiro state

Summary

INTRODUCTION

There are about 378 species of 71 genera of palms (Arecaceae/ Palmae) in Brazil, distributed in all Brazilian biomes. Brazilian Amazonian palm-stem types and uses contribution to human well-being and the regional economy are unknown to the general public (Clement et al 2005) This traditional knowledge is of fundamental importance for the conservation and sustainable exploitation of useful palms, supporting programs for the management of natural resources and implementation of economic development in local communities (Zambrana et al 2007). Despite not forming actual heartwood, stems are among the most commonly used parts of palms, reportedly for construction, handicrafts and daily utensils, among other purposes (Vilhena-Potiguara et al 1987; Miranda et al 2001; Rocha and Silva 2005; Oliveira et al 2006; Araújo et al 2016) In this context, the objective of this review was to survey the recorded uses of stems of palm species native to the Brazilian Amazon and to relate uses to stem morphological types

MATERIAL AND METHODS

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Findings

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