Etnobotanical resources of the Multiple-use Guaraní Reserve, Misiones (Argentina): their importance to the indigenous communities of Caramelito and Taruma Poty

Abstract

The present results are of an ethnobotanical study of two Guarani communities Caramelito and Taruma Poty that use natural resources of the Guarani Multiple-Use Reserve. This is a protected area of 5343 hectares in Misiones, Argentina. The inhabitants of Caramelito belong to the Mbya branch of the Guarani, while those of Taruma Poty belong to Ava-Chiripa branch. An exhaustive floristic study enabled estimation of the proportion of plants used by members of these communities in relation to tot~ number ·of native plants in this reserve. The most important use categories are described and illustrated and a list of species is given with indigenous names, uses, habitats and the voucher herbarium specimens. This study showed that the Multiple-use Reserve is effective in supplying many essential resources for Guarani ·communities. Th~ authors urge better conservation of this area upon which the Guarani depend so extensively for their livelihood. In the Part-1 of the study, the Appendix includes monocots and dicots up to the family Asteraceae. Remaining information forms Part-11.