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Table 1 Ethnobotanical information corresponding to useful plant species found in M. flexuosa palm swamps ( ne cuadu ) within the Yanayacu River basin

From: The socio-cultural importance of Mauritia flexuosa palm swamps (aguajales) and implications for multi-use management in two Maijuna communities of the Peruvian Amazon

Taxon [voucher]a

Maijuna name

Spanish name

Use

Harvesting method

Time of harvestb

Annonaceae

     
 

Annona sp. 1c [668]

aña mica ñi

anonilla

fruits: edible

picked

unknown

 

Duguetia sp. 1c [715]

yai j ɨ ada ñi , ɨ sɨbo ñi

tortuga caspi

trunk: house construction material

felled

year round

trunk: firewood

felled

year round

 

Guatteria decurrens R.E. Fr. [648]

nea c a ñi(‘black strap tree’)

carahuasca negra

trunk: house construction material

felled

year round

bark: strips used as a strapping to carry things

stripped from felled tree

year round

 

Oxandra euneura Diels [685]

ai codiyo ñi(‘old rib tree’), bitoyo ñi(‘fishing pole tree’)

tortuga caspi

trunk: house construction material

felled

year round

trunk: treelets used as fishing poles

felled

year round

 

Unonopsis guatterioides R. E. Fr. [664]

nea c a ñi(‘black strap tree’)

carahuasca negra

trunk: house construction material

felled

year round

bark: strips used as a strapping to carry things

stripped from felled tree

year round

 

Unonopsis peruviana R. E. Fr. [704]

nea c a ñi(‘black strap tree’)

carahuasca negra

trunk: house construction material

felled

year round

bark: strips used as a strapping to carry things

stripped from felled tree

year round

Apocynaceae

     
 

Aspidosperma sp. 1c [666]

yototo ñi(‘canoe buttress tree’)

remo caspi

buttress roots: used to make canoe paddles and ax handles

cut from buttress root (not felled)

year round

trunk: firewood

felled

year round

 

Aspidosperma sp. 3c [673]

sɨño come toto(‘yellow paddle buttress tree’)

remo caspi amarillo

buttress roots: used to make canoe paddles and ax handles

cut from buttress root (not felled)

year round

trunk: firewood

felled

year round

 

Himatanthus sucuuba (Spruce ex Müll. Arg.) Woodson [776]

dodo ñi

bellaco caspi

latex: medicinal (abscesses/boils)

tap trunk

year round

 

Parahancornia peruviana Monach. [692]

s ɨ e ca ñi

naranjo podrido

fruits: edible

collected from felled tree

~April-July

Araceae

     
 

Dracontium sp. 1c [724]

aña cajo (‘snake’s tuber’)

jergón sacha

tuber: medicinal (used to treat snake bites)

extracted from ground

year round

leaf/petiole: medicinal/traditional beliefs (used to prevent snake bites)

cut from plant

year round

Arecaceae

     
 

Astrocaryum chambira Burret [767]

beto ñi , ñuca ñi

chambira

fruits: edible (toast and eat mature fruits and eat liquid/spongy endosperm of immature fruits)

collected from ground, by using pole, or felling tree

~January-March

spear leaf: fiber extracted from immature pinnae used to make handicrafts (hammocks, bags, baskets, etc.); handicrafts sold

cut from plant (plant not felled except when tall)

year round

spear leaf: midrib of immature pinnae used to make brooms

same as above

same as above

spear leaf: remaining portions of immature pinnae used in basket making after removal of fibers and midribs; baskets sold

same as above

same as above

spear leaf: small immature pinnae toward top of spear leaf used to make fans for tourist trade and fanning fires; fans sold

same as above

same as above

 

Astrocaryum macrocalyx Burret [782]

chida ñi

huicungo

fruits: edible (liquid/spongy endosperm)

collected from felled tree

unknown

sprouting seeds: medicinal oil (pimples)

collected from ground

year round

trunk: construction material (house and floor support posts)

felled

year round

trunk: pry bars for canoe construction

felled

year round

seeds: seed coat used to adorn ear disksd

collected from ground

year round

spear leaf: immature leaflets used to make “crowns” and “flags” for special occasions and traditional ceremonies

cut from plant (harvested from small plants)

year round

 

Attalea insignis (Mart. ex H. Wendl.) Drude [763]

edi ñi

inayuga, shapaja

fruits: edible

picked

year round

petioles: used to stretch animal hides during the drying process

cut from plant

year round

petioles: used to make blowgun dartsd

portion cut from petiole (leaves not removed)

year round

 

Attalea maripa (Aubl.) Mart. [778]

edi ñi

shapaja

fruits: older fruits host beetle larvae that are eaten and used as fishing bait

collected from ground

year round

fruits: edible

collected from ground, by climbing leaning pole, or felling tree

year round

leaves: thatch for houses

collected from felled tree

year round

leaves: thatch for the ridges of roofs

cut from plant (harvested from small plants)

year round

spathe: used as a dish to store things and as a child’s toy canoe

collected from ground

year round

seeds: used to smooth and/or polish clay during the production of ceramics

collected from ground

year round

 

Bactris maraja Mart.

bi ñi

chontilla

fruits: edible

picked

~March-April

 

Desmoncus mitis Mart. [781]

jijebɨ meme(‘sieve vine’)

 

stem: used to lash together the frames of sieves

stems cut from plant

year round

 

Desmoncus polyacanthos Mart.

jijebɨ meme(‘sieve vine’)

 

stem: used to lash together the frames of sieves

stems cut from plant

year round

 

Euterpe precatoria Mart. [313e, 531e]

ɨ mɨbi ñi, ɨ bɨe ñi

huasai, chonta

fruits: edible (used to make a beverage); rarely sold

collected from felled tree

year round

leaves: thatch for temporary shelters

cut from plant (plant not felled except when tall)

year round

palm heart: edible; sold

extracted from felled tree

year round

roots: processed into a medicine (malaria)

extracted from ground (not felled)

year round

trunk: construction material (house railings and walls)

felled

year round

crown shaft: used to package processed blocks of Couma macrocarpa latexd

extracted from felled tree

year round

 

Geonoma deversa (Poit.) Kunth

n i n i ñi

palmicha

leaves: occasionally (when abundant) placed on the ground to quarter animals while hunting

cut from plant

year round

leaves: thatch for temporary shelters

cut from plant

year round

 

Geonoma macrostachys Mart. var. acaulis (Mart.) Skov [762]

n i n i ñi

 

leaves: occasionally (when abundant) placed on the ground to quarter animals while hunting

cut from plant

year round

 

Mauritia flexuosa L. f. [321e, 529e]

ne ñi

aguaje

fruits: edible (eaten, used to make a beverage, and processed into an oil); sold

collected from ground and by climbing or felling tree

~May-August

fruits: pieces used as fishing bait

same as above

same as above

leaves: use old, dry leaves as a fuel for drying canoes and starting fires in newly cleared and dried agricultural fields

old and hanging leaves cut off of tree

year round

petioles: strips of fiber used to make mats and used as a form for weaving palm fiber bags

cut from plant (harvested from small plants)

year round

trunk: hosts two species of beetle larvae that are eaten and used as fishing bait

from trees felled to promote larval growth and natural tree falls

year round

 

Mauritiella armata (Mart.) Burret

bɨe ne ñi

aguajillo

fruits: edible

collected from ground or by felling tree

~May-August

 

Oenocarpus bataua Mart. [324e, 555e]

bosa ñi , osa ñi , g o sa ñi

hunguraui, unguraui

fruits: edible (eaten, used to make a beverage, and processed into an oil); occasionally sold

collected from ground and by climbing or felling tree

~November-March and June-August

fruits (unripe): processed into a medicine (tuberculosis)

collected by climbing or felling tree

~year round

leaves: used to make temporary baskets

cut from plant (harvested from small plants)

year round

leaves: thatch for temporary shelters

cut from plant (plant not felled except when tall)

year round

trunk: hosts a beetle larva that is eaten and used as fishing bait

from trees felled to promote larval growth and natural tree falls

year round

leaf base fibers: sharpened and used to pierce men’s ears for ear disksd

collected from plant (plant not felled)

year round

leaf base fibers: used as kindlingd

collected from felled tree

year round

 

Oenocarpus mapora H. Karst. [780]

bi bosa ñi, bi osa ñi, bi g o sa ñi(‘small Oenocarpus bataua tree’)

cinamillo

fruits: edible (eaten and used to make a beverage)

collected by climbing or felling tree

~November-March and June-August

leaves: used to make temporary baskets

cut from plant (harvested from small plants)

year round

leaves: thatch for temporary shelters

cut from plant (plant not felled except when tall)

year round

petioles: strips of fiber used to make sieves

cut from plant (harvested from small plants)

year round

trunk: construction material (support posts for small structures)

felled

year round

 

Socratea exorrhiza (Mart.) H. Wendl. [315e, 530e]

j ɨ co ñi

cashapona

stilt roots: spiny sections used as graters

cut from stilt root (not felled)

year round

   

trunk: construction material (floors of houses and temporary shelters; walls of houses; slats also used to weave thatch around); occasionally sold

felled

year round

   

trunk: used to make platforms above cooking fires to dry and smoke food

felled

year round

   

trunk: used to make spears for hunting and warfared

felled

year round

Burseraceae

     
 

Protium spp. [716]

bayidi ñi

copal

resin balls: used to seal/caulk canoes, etc.

picked from tree (not felled)

year round

resin balls: used as a fuel to start fires

same as above

same as above

resin balls: used as a fuel for a type of candled

same as above

same as above

Chrysobalanaceae

     
 

Licania heteromorpha Benth. [718, 736]

cobe ao ñi(‘Eira barbara’s food tree’)

 

fruits: edible

collected from felled tree

unknown

 

Parinari parilis aff. J.F. Macbr. [655]

mateto ñi

parinari

fruits: edible

collected from ground

~October-November and January-March

 

Parinari sp. 1c [706]

mateto ñi

parinari

fruits: edible

collected from ground

~October-November and January-March

Clusiaceae

     
 

Chrysochlamys ulei Engl. [757]

ñase sada ñi

 

trunk: firewood

felled

year round

 

Symphonia globulifera L. f. [743]

maja ñi(‘tar tree’)

brea caspi

latex: used to seal/caulk canoes, etc.

collected from felled tree

year round

 

Tovomita sp. 2c [744]

maja ñi(‘tar tree’)

brea caspi

latex: used to seal/caulk canoes, etc.

collected from felled tree

year round

Combretaceae

     
 

Buchenavia sericocarpa Ducke [647]

nanu ñi

 

trunk: construction material

felled

year round

bark: strips used as a strapping to carry things

stripped from felled tree

year round

Cyclanthaceae

     
 

Asplundia sp. 1c [670]

noca

 

leaves: wrap and cook food in (i.e. fish, fruits, animal intestines, etc.)

cut from plant

year round

Euphorbiaceae

     
 

Hevea guianensis var. lutea (Spruce ex Benth.) Ducke & R.E. Schultes [688]

ejebe ñi

shiringa

seeds: used to make toy tops for childrend

collected from ground

unknown

 

Hyeronima alchorneoides Allemão [727]

pɨdi ñi

purma caspi

trunk: firewood

felled

year round

trunk: used to make the hulls, seats, and keels of canoes

felled

year round

 

Nealchornea yapurensis Huber [711]

 

fósforo caspi, keresone caspi

trunk: firewood

felled

year round

Fabaceae

     
 

Hymenaea palustris cf. Ducke [701]

s o j o ñi

azúcar huayo

fruits: edible

collected from ground

unknown

bark: medicinal (rheumatism and paleness)

cut from trunk (not felled)

year round

 

Inga spp. [660, 661, 699, 708, 761, 764]

mene ñi

shimbillo

fruits: edible

picked or collected from cut branches or felled tree

~April-June and October-November

 

Pterocarpus amazonum (Mart. ex Benth.) Amshoff [739]

bo come toto ñi(‘white paddle buttress tree’)

remo caspi blanco

buttress roots: used to make canoe paddles

cut from buttress root (not felled)

year round

Lauraceae

     
 

Aniba sp. 2c [731]

ya ñi

muena

trunk: house construction material

felled

year round

trunk: used to make the hulls, seats, and keels of canoes

felled

year round

 

Endlicheria sp. 1c [683]

ya ñi

isma muena

trunk: house construction material

felled

year round

trunk: used to make the hulls, seats, and keels of canoes

felled

year round

 

Licaria sp. 2c [740]

nea bɨ ya ñi

cunchi muena

trunk: house construction material

felled

year round

trunk: used to make the hulls, seats, and keels of canoes

felled

year round

Lecythidaceae

     
 

Eschweilera coriacea (DC.) S.A. Mori [729]

ɨ oma ñi, ɨ omɨ ja ñi

machimango

bark: strips used as a strapping to carry things

stripped from trunk (not felled)

year round

Malvaceae

     
 

Theobroma subincanum Mart. [700]

ch o cotu ñi (‘bald tree’)

cacao amarillo

fruits: edible

collected by climbing or felling tree

~April-June

bark: processed into a tobacco admixture

cut from trunk (not felled)

year round

 

Theobroma obovatum Klotzsch ex Bernoulli [723]

m e ch o cotu ñi , m e sɨno ñi

cacaohuillo

fruits: edible

collected from felled tree

~April-June

Marantaceae

     
 

Calathea lutea Schult. [652]

n u ta jao sa

bijao

leaves: wrap and cook food in (i.e. fish, animal intestines, etc.)

cut from plant

year round

leaves: wrap and store salt and fariña (a coarse flour or meal made from Manihot esculenta) in

same as above

same as above

Meliaceae

     
 

Guarea macrophylla subsp. pendulistica (C. DC.) T. D. Penn. [737]

m o j o ñi

 

trunk: house construction material

felled

year round

Moraceae

     
 

Brosimum parinarioides subsp. amplicoma (Ducke) C. C. Berg [663]

abɨ yodo ñi

caucho macho del bajo

latex: used to seal/caulk canoes, etc.

tap trunk

year round

 

Brosimum utile (Kunth) Oken ex J. Presl [779]

ayo ñi

tamamuri

fruits: edible

collected from felled tree

unknown

 

Helicostylis scabra (J.F. Macbr.) C.C. Berg [702]

yaji ñi

chimicue

fruits: edible

collected from felled tree

~April-June

 

Naucleopsis glabra Spruce ex Pittier [717]

ch i cue ñi

 

fruits: edible

collected from felled tree

unknown

 

Pseudolmedia laevis (R. & P.) Macbr. [691]

naso dei ñi(‘Lagothrix lagothricha’s Artocarpus altilis tree’)

pandisho del mono

fruits: edible

picked

unknown

Myristicaceae

     
 

Iryanthera olacoides (A.C. Sm.) A.C. Sm. [719]

ɨ bi t i to ñi

cumala

fruits: edible aril (prepared by wrapping in the leaves of two plant species and heating over fire)

collected from felled tree

~April-June

 

Virola loretensis A.C. Sm. [732]

cudu ñi

cumala

fruits: edible aril (prepared by wrapping in the leaves of two plant species and heating over fire)

collected from felled tree

~April-June

seeds: used as a fuel for a type of candle

collected from felled tree

~April-June

trunk: selectively logged and soldd

felled

year round

 

Virola pavonis (A. DC.) A. C. Sm. [775]

bai cudu ñi (‘Tayassu pecari’s Virola tree’), miña cudu ñi(‘small bird’s Virola tree), mia cudu ñi(‘small bird’s Virola tree)

cumala

fruits: edible aril (prepared by wrapping in the leaves of two plant species and heating over fire)

collected from felled tree

~April-June

seeds: used as a fuel for a type of candle

collected from felled tree

~April-June

trunk: selectively logged and soldd

felled

year round

Ochnaceae

     
 

Cespedesia spathulata (Ruiz & Pav.) Planch. [714]

ma pede ñi(‘red board tree’)

 

trunk: house construction material

felled

year round

trunk: firewood

felled

year round

Olacaceae

     
 

Minquartia guianensis Aubl. [758]

yajisu ñi

huacapú

fruits: edible

collected from ground

unknown

trunk: house construction material

felled

year round

Poaceae

     
 

Pariana sp. 1c [644]

mamecoco

shacapa, maronilla

leaves: used in shamanic rituals/ceremonies

cut from plant

year round

Rubiaceae

     
 

Genipa spruceana Steyerm. [738]

be ñi

huito

fruits: used to dye Astrocaryum chambira fibers black

picked

~March-April

Sapotaceae

     
 

Chrysophyllum sp. 1c [741]

toa ñi(‘fire tree’), toa acue ñi(‘fire fruit tree’)

caimitillo

fruits: edible

collected from felled tree

~January-April

trunk: firewood

felled

year round

 

Micropholis egensis (A. DC.) Pierre [721]

catoña ñi

lagarto caspi

trunk: construction material (used to construct houses, boats, etc.)

felled

year round

trunk: used to make the hulls, seats, and keels of canoes

felled

year round

trunk: selectively logged and soldd

felled

year round

 

Ecclinusa lanceolata (M. & E.) Pierre [645]

toa ñi(‘fire tree’), toa acue ñi(‘fire fruit tree’)

caimitillo

fruits: edible

collected from felled tree

~January-April

trunk: firewood

felled

year round

Urticaceae

     
 

Pourouma cecropiifolia cf. Mart. [722]

maca ede ñi

uvilla del monte

fruits: edible

collected from felled tree

unknown

 

Pourouma cucura Standl. & Cuatrec.

maca ede ñi

uvilla del monte

fruits: edible

collected from felled tree

unknown

 

Pourouma tomentosa Mart. subsp. tomentosa [650]

maca ede ñi

uvilla del monte

fruits: edible

collected from felled tree

unknown

  1. See [34] for frequency and density data for useful tree and palm species in sampled plots.
  2. a All specimens, unless otherwise indicated, were collected by M. Gilmore, E. Valderrama, B. Endress, C. Horn, D. Rios Vaca & V. Rios Torres under permit Nº0388-2010-AG-DGFFS-DGEFFS issued by the Ministerio de Agricultura (MINAG), Peru. All voucher specimens are deposited in the Herbarium Amazonense (AMAZ), Universidad Nacional de la Amazonia Peruana, Iquitos, Peru.
  3. b Harvest times are preliminary and approximate, based on consultant testimony and not independently verified by the researchers.
  4. c Numbering of species follows [34].
  5. d Not currently used in this way by the Maijuna of the Yanayacu River basin.
  6. e This specimen was collected by M. Gilmore (with the help of various field assistants) under permit No 71-2003-INRENA-IFFS-DCB issued by the Instituto Nacional de Recursos Naturales (INRENA), Peru. All voucher specimens are deposited in the Herbarium Amazonense (AMAZ), Universidad Nacional de la Amazonia Peruana, Iquitos, Peru and the Willard Sherman Turrell Herbarium (MU), Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.