Etnobotânica da comunidade de Jovi, Pacífico colombiano

Abstract

The Jovi community is located in the Colombian Pacific, a region considered a global hot spot due to its great biodiversity and potential for endemic species. The community has its practices, benefits, and culture supported by ecosystem services in the region, justifying the importance of an ethnobotanical survey for a better understanding of the relationship between the local community and the use of plant resources. In this context, the objective of this study was to conduct an ethnobotanical survey of the Jovi community, focusing on the identification of the plants used by the community and their purpose of use, whether there are losses of any species uses and whether the difference in knowledge of use between men and women, in addition to a detailed analysis of the medicinal plants mentioned by the community. Participant observation was carried out, associated with interviews for data collection. We interviewed 26 local experts, who identified the plant species that were grouped into categories of use and applied quantitative methods for analyzing results such as use-value and relative importance 146 plant species belonging to 58 families were identified, with Poaceae and Lamiaceae being the families with the highest representation of the mentioned species. The signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are already recognized by the community, which uses the species Gliricida sepium to treat the disease. The Joví community has a great knowledge of vegetal resources, with special emphasis on plants with medicinal plants, which may indicate their dependence on the treatment of milder diseases.