Medicinal and edible plants of the Monterrico nature reserve RNUMM, Taxisco, Santa Rosa

Abstract

An ethnobotanical research was conducted in 2011, in five communities located in the “Monterrico” Nature Reserve - RNUMM: El Pumpo, Monterrico, La Curvina, La Avellana and Agua Dulce.

The purpose of the research was to establish the medicinal and edible plants, and the traditional knowledge
related to those plants in the nature reserve.

We carried out 101 interviews to key informants belonging to the five communities. The research was complemented with visits and specimens collection in gardens, and natural areas. All the specimens were deposited in USCG Herbarium of the Center for Conservationist Studies (CECON), where the taxonomic description was performed.

A total of 181 species were recorded, 40 species are edible plants, 91 species are medicinal, and 50 species have both medicinal and edible use; 60% of the reported plants are native, and the majority of these were found growing wild in gardens or in the last natural areas.

These findings demonstrate the importance of the protection of these natural areas, and to assess and promote home gardens within the reserve. The natural areas and the home gardens serve as reservoirs of medicine and food for people of the area also are part of the identity and heritage to the new generations, in the form of traditional knowledge, as a result of their long term interaction with nature.