Ethnobotany in urban home gardens in Mossoró-RN

Etnobotánica en los patios urbanos en Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil

Abstract

Plant species grown in urban home gardens improve environmental quality, bring aesthetic benefits, can be used for the production of food and medicinal plants, among other purposes. This work aims to carry out an ethnobotanical survey in urban home gardens in the Vingt Rosado neighborhood in Mossoró-RN. The methodological procedures consist of an application of a semi-structured questionnaire and identification of plant species present in the gardens of residential units. Plants were found in all the sampled residences, and 18 species with different purposes were cataloged. The studied urban home gardens have great potential for botanical cultivation, and the expansion of this possibility could bring many benefits regarding food and environmental security and even expand the possibilities for generation of family income.

Keywords:
Ethno-knowledge; Productive home gardens; Food safety; semiarid; Botanical cultivation