Abstract
Much of the Brazilian semiarid region faces a considerable process of degradation of natural resources, and ethnobotanical studies have collaborated with important information about the use and traditional knowledge, serving as a tool to design conservation strategies of native plant species. Thus, this study aimed to determine medicinal species meriting conservation priorities in a "Caatinga" area in the northeastern of Brazilian territory. The ethnobotanical data were collected through semi-structured interviews with key subjects selected through the "snowball" technique. The availability and species conservation priority was verified by relative density, risk of collection, local use and use of diversity in the forest fragment sampled. It was recorded 42 native medicinal plants and conservation priority score was calculated for seven species, including Mimosa tenuiflora, Hymenaea courbaril, Ximenia americana and Amburana cearensis need immediate conservation and attention, since their collection does not occur in a sustainable way. In order to ensure the perpetuation of the species and the sustainability of traditional therapeutic practice there needs to be a development of conservation practices of caatinga remaining to better conserve the species of the biome.
Highlights
In recent years, many studies have been intensified focused on medicinal plants (Souza et al 2013, Ribeiro et al 2014a) and ethnobotany has been highlighted in the evaluation of traditional therapies and the development of strategies for the conservation of medicinal flora through local practices (Oliveira et al 2007, Albuquerque et Excessive collection of this feature can affect plant populations modifying their structure, changing the dynamics of the same over time and in terms of individual, affecting their growth and reproductive capacity (Shahabuddin and Prasad 2004), may cause natural and sometimes irreversible losses
Current studies show the importance of savanna vegetation for the conservation of Brazilian biodiversity, due to the high level of endemism of the species having the lowest number and the less extent protected from all Brazilian biomes (Leal et al 2005), due to the increasing waste, caused mainly by human activities on the natural resources available (Albuquerque et al 2011)
RICHNESS OF PLANT MEDICINAL, HABITS AND PARTS UTILIZED. It was recorded 42 native medicinal species belonging to 34 genera and 24 families (Table SI - Supplementary Material)
Summary
Many studies have been intensified focused on medicinal plants (Souza et al 2013, Ribeiro et al 2014a) and ethnobotany has been highlighted in the evaluation of traditional therapies and the development of strategies for the conservation of medicinal flora through local practices (Oliveira et al 2007, Albuquerque et Excessive collection of this feature can affect plant populations modifying their structure, changing the dynamics of the same over time and in terms of individual, affecting their growth and reproductive capacity (Shahabuddin and Prasad 2004), may cause natural and sometimes irreversible losses. Recovery strategies can be developed and conservation of these areas from surveys of the potential of plant resources available to a particular community (Roque et al 2010). Current studies show the importance of savanna vegetation for the conservation of Brazilian biodiversity, due to the high level of endemism of the species having the lowest number and the less extent protected from all Brazilian biomes (Leal et al 2005), due to the increasing waste, caused mainly by human activities on the natural resources available (Albuquerque et al 2011).
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