Traditional knowledge of edible plants in an indigenous community in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, Mexico

Abstract

In this study, we documented traditional knowledge of edible plants in an indigenous community in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, Mexico and analyzed sociodemographic factors (age, education, and linguistic competence) that influence this knowledge. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 78 housewives during the dry and rainy seasons. The data were analyzed and the relative frequency of citation index (RFC) was calculated for each plant. The community uses 110 species of plants for food; 85 are cultivated, and 25 are collected. Milpas, coffee plantations, and home gardens, are the main spaces used for growing and harvesting food. The availability of the species is lower in the dry season than in the rainy season. 31% of edible species have medicinal uses. There is a high richness of quelites (36 sp. pl.). The wild species with the highest RFC were Cestrum nocturnum and Calceolaria mexicana. The age showed a positive relationship with traditional knowledge, while the level of education showed a negative relationship, and linguistic competence did not show relationship. The community has a high diversity of edible species, and the knowledge they preserve is essential for the conservation, use, and management of local plant diversity.

Keywords:

• Ethnobotany
• indigenous
• cultivated and wild edible plants
• cultural transmission
• quelites

Acknowledgements

We would especially like to thank the women of San Juan Juquila Vijanos for allowing us to work with them. We appreciate the collaboration of Adonicam Santiago-Martínez for the support in formatting figures and revision of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

We wish to thank Instituto Politécnico Nacional and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) for financial support to Pascual-Mendoza (744488). As well as by the Project “Catedras Patrimoniales CONACYT”; reference number 2014.

Funding

We wish to thank Instituto Politécnico Nacional and Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) for financial support to Pascual-Mendoza (744488). As well as by the Project “Catedras Patrimoniales CONACYT”; reference number 2014.