Consequences of of the loss of traditional knowledge: the risk of injurious and toxic plants growing in kindergartens

Abstract

The plant kingdom is a greater producer of poisons, it contains a great variety of toxic species. Nevertheless prevention of plant poisonings in Argentina is disregarded. As children are the more affected, an evaluation of the dangerous plants present in kindergartens, and about the knowledge of teachers in charge about them, is proposed. Floristic inventories of 85 Institutions of Bahía Blanca City were carried out, as well as semistructural interviews with teachers. A total of 303 species were taxonomically identified, from which 208 are harmless, 66 moderately and 29 highly harmful. Of the moderately harmful, 54% produce phytodematitis, among the highly dangerous those with alkaloids and cyanogenic compounds predominate. The number of dangerous plants present in each Institution varies from 0-45. Kindergartens have no landscaping plan and teachers in the majority ignore the existence of toxic plants. Appropiate actions integrating education, prevention and valuation of the natural environment are needed.