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Table 1 Plants cited by 27 interviewees from terreiros of Ritual de Almas e Angola (13 terreiros), Candomblé (3 terreiros), and Umbanda (11 terreiros) in Santa Catarina Island, Brazil

From: “The plants have axé”: investigating the use of plants in Afro-Brazilian religions of Santa Catarina Island

Local name

Voucher/collector number

Uses

Origin

Ethnobotany use Afro-Brazilian groups

Acanthaceae

Abre-caminho or quebra-demanda (Justicia gendarussaBurm. f.)

FLOR60846

Energy cleaning (amaci, bath, smoke cleansing)

II

Candomblé and Umbanda [59]

Araceae

Comigo-ninguém-pode (Dieffenbachia seguine(Jacq.) Schott.)

TP10

Evil eye (protection)

VIII

Candomblé and Umbanda [59,60,61], Maroons [6]

Asparagaceae

Espada-de-Santa-Bárbara or Espada-de-Iansã (Sansevieria trifasciatavar.laurentii(De Wild.) N.E.Br, syn.S. trifasciata)

TP06

Energy cleaning (amaci, bath, smoke cleansing); protection;feitura de santo

VI

Umbanda Nagô [62], Candomblé and Umbanda [59, 63]

Espada-de-São-Jorge or Espada-de-ogum (Sansevieria trifasciataPrain)

TP08

Energy cleaning (amaci, bathing, smoke cleansing); protection;feitura de santo

VI

Umbanda Nagô [62], Candomblé [60, 64], Candomblé and Umbanda [59, 61, 63], Maroons [6]

Lança-de-Ogum (Sansevieria cylindricaBojer ex Hook.)

-

Evil eye (protection)

VI

Umbanda Nagô [62], Candomblé and Umbanda [59]

Lamiaceae

Alecrim (Rosmarinus officinalisL.)

TP13

Energy harmonization (amaci, bath, smoke cleansing); feitura de santo; blessing;depression, poor digestion, cardiovascular problems (tea)

V

Candomblé Kétu Nàgó [65], Candombl é[64], Candomblé and Umbanda [61, 63], Umbanda [66, 67], African-based religions [68, 69], Afro-brazilian religions [3], Maroons [70,71,72]

Alfazema (Lavandula angustifoliaMill.)

TP59

Energy harmonization (bath, smoke cleansing);feitura de santo

V

Candomblé and Umbanda [61]

Boldo-de-Oxalá (Plectranthus barbatusAndrews)

FLOR 60855

Energy cleaning (amaci, smoke cleansing, bath), offering; bronchitis (syrup)

II

Afro-Brazilian religions [3], Candomblé [64], Maroons [6, 70, 72]

Hortelã (Mentha x villosaHuds.)

TP17

Energy harmonization (bath); soothing (tea)

V

Umbanda Nagô [62], Candomblé and Umbanda [61, 63], Umbanda [66], Maroons [70, 72]

Lavanda (Lavandula dentataL.)

FLOR 60854

Energy harmonization (bath, smoke cleansing)

V

Umbanda [67]

Manjericão (Ocimum basilicumL.)

FLOR 60841

Energy cleaning (smoke cleansing, bath); feitura de santo; offering;bronchitis (tea, syrup)

II

Candomblé Kétu Nàgó [65], Candomblé and Umbanda [59], Umbanda [67], African-based religions [69], Afro-Brazilian communities [73], Afro-Brazilian religions [3], Maroons [6, 70, 71]

Phytolaccaceae

Guiné (Petiveria alliaceaL.)

FLOR60856

Energy cleaning (amaci, bath, smoke cleansing); protection

VIII

Candomblé [2, 74], Umbanda [66, 67], African-based religions [68, 69], Afro-brazilian religions [3], Maroons [75]

Rutaceae

Arruda (Ruta graveolensL.)

TP11

Energy cleansing (amaci, bath, smoke cleansing); blessing; protection; feitura de santo

V

R: Umbanda Nag ô[62], Candomblé [64, 74], Candomblé and Umbanda [59, 61, 63],Umband a[66, 67], Afro-Brazilian religions [3], Maroons [6, 70,71,72, 75]

Solanaceae

Fumo (Nicotiana tabacumL.)

-

Energy cleaning (smoking)

VIII

Candomblé and Umbanda [61, 63], African-based religions [69]

Pimenta- malagueta (Capsicum frutescensL.)

TP16

Offering; baths in specific cases of protection; for lack of energy, anti-inflammatory, aphrodisiac, antiarthritic, anticancer

VIII

Umbanda Nagô [62], Maroons [6]

Pimenta-dedo-de-moça (Capsicum baccatumL.)

TP15

VIII

Umbanda Nagô [62]

  1. Origins: II, Indian; V, Mediterranean; VI, Ethiopian; VII, Mexico and Central America; VIII, South American