POTENCIAL DE USO DOS RECURSOS VEGETAIS EM UMA COMUNIDADE RURAL NO SEMIÁRIDO POTIGUAR

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the main cat egories of use of native plants in a rural com- munity from Caicó Municipality, Rio Grande do Norte , Northeastern Brazil. From March 2007 to August 20 08 semi-structured and structured interviews were cond ucted with 23 local specialists (woodsmen, witch do ctors, healers, growers and housewives) aged over 35. We d escribe the uses of 69 species grouped in seven cat egories which are: medicinal, food, wood, mystic , fuel, fo dder and household. The families with the largest r epresenta- tion in the interviews were Fabaceae (14 species), Euphorbiaceae (6 species), Cucurbitaceae and Cactac eae (3 species each). By calculating the value in use, it was found that Amburana cearensis (Allemão) A. C. Sm. (cumaru) and Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poir. (jurema preta) stood out as the spe cies with the highest number of citations and nominated uses. The medicinal use was related to 62 species (89.85 %). Barks and root s were the most consumed parts. The data indicate that the flora of the Potiguar Seridó has a great potential of use and that this community will often use local plant reso urces in their everyday life, for many different pu rposes. Keywords : Caatinga. Ethnobotany. Phytoterapy. Northeastern of Brazil.