Wild edible plants of the Central Mountains in Argentina. Comparing subregions to understand the complexity of local botanical knowledge

Abstract This work evaluates similarities and differences in the processing and consumption of wild flora in three subregions of Central Argentina. It aims to both deepen the knowledge of present local food culture and to contribute to the interpretation of the archaeobotanical data previously gener...

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Main Authors: Valentina Saur Palmieri, María Laura López, Cecilia Trillo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro 2022-11-01
Series:Rodriguésia
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2175-78602022000100254&lng=en&tlng=en
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author Valentina Saur Palmieri
María Laura López
Cecilia Trillo
author_facet Valentina Saur Palmieri
María Laura López
Cecilia Trillo
author_sort Valentina Saur Palmieri
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This work evaluates similarities and differences in the processing and consumption of wild flora in three subregions of Central Argentina. It aims to both deepen the knowledge of present local food culture and to contribute to the interpretation of the archaeobotanical data previously generated in the area. Open and semi-structured interviews were conducted in each subregion and the cultural importance index was calculated for each mentioned plant. A total of 45 species and 24 practices were listed and, while 42% of the taxa were common to the subregions, 33% of the species ( e.g., Ximenia americana in the north) and 25% of the practices ( e.g., “milanesa” in the west) were mentioned exclusively in one of them. These particularities were attributed to both ecological ( i.e. plant availability) and socio-cultural factors ( i.e. presence of neo-rural settlers). Our results enhanced our understanding of the local botanical knowledge of the entire mountain area, increasing the understanding of the region as a biocultural system and contributing to the conservation of the area. Moreover, the comparison between the taxa mentioned in the present and those listed in previous archaeobotanical studies in the area, showed that 78% of the wild taxa recovered from archaeological sites are mentioned in the present ( e.g., Lithraea molleoides). Consequently, the present results about food processing are a basis for future studies of the human-plant relationship in the central mountains of Argentina over time.
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spelling doaj.art-fa30732128b349859c39f3f3652297782022-12-22T04:18:42ZengInstituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de JaneiroRodriguésia2175-78602022-11-017310.1590/2175-78602022730089Wild edible plants of the Central Mountains in Argentina. Comparing subregions to understand the complexity of local botanical knowledgeValentina Saur Palmierihttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4310-3857María Laura Lópezhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9967-4424Cecilia Trillohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3856-3912Abstract This work evaluates similarities and differences in the processing and consumption of wild flora in three subregions of Central Argentina. It aims to both deepen the knowledge of present local food culture and to contribute to the interpretation of the archaeobotanical data previously generated in the area. Open and semi-structured interviews were conducted in each subregion and the cultural importance index was calculated for each mentioned plant. A total of 45 species and 24 practices were listed and, while 42% of the taxa were common to the subregions, 33% of the species ( e.g., Ximenia americana in the north) and 25% of the practices ( e.g., “milanesa” in the west) were mentioned exclusively in one of them. These particularities were attributed to both ecological ( i.e. plant availability) and socio-cultural factors ( i.e. presence of neo-rural settlers). Our results enhanced our understanding of the local botanical knowledge of the entire mountain area, increasing the understanding of the region as a biocultural system and contributing to the conservation of the area. Moreover, the comparison between the taxa mentioned in the present and those listed in previous archaeobotanical studies in the area, showed that 78% of the wild taxa recovered from archaeological sites are mentioned in the present ( e.g., Lithraea molleoides). Consequently, the present results about food processing are a basis for future studies of the human-plant relationship in the central mountains of Argentina over time.http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2175-78602022000100254&lng=en&tlng=enCórdoba provinceethnobotanyfood plantsknowledge transmission
spellingShingle Valentina Saur Palmieri
María Laura López
Cecilia Trillo
Wild edible plants of the Central Mountains in Argentina. Comparing subregions to understand the complexity of local botanical knowledge
Rodriguésia
Córdoba province
ethnobotany
food plants
knowledge transmission
title Wild edible plants of the Central Mountains in Argentina. Comparing subregions to understand the complexity of local botanical knowledge
title_full Wild edible plants of the Central Mountains in Argentina. Comparing subregions to understand the complexity of local botanical knowledge
title_fullStr Wild edible plants of the Central Mountains in Argentina. Comparing subregions to understand the complexity of local botanical knowledge
title_full_unstemmed Wild edible plants of the Central Mountains in Argentina. Comparing subregions to understand the complexity of local botanical knowledge
title_short Wild edible plants of the Central Mountains in Argentina. Comparing subregions to understand the complexity of local botanical knowledge
title_sort wild edible plants of the central mountains in argentina comparing subregions to understand the complexity of local botanical knowledge
topic Córdoba province
ethnobotany
food plants
knowledge transmission
url http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2175-78602022000100254&lng=en&tlng=en
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AT marialauralopez wildedibleplantsofthecentralmountainsinargentinacomparingsubregionstounderstandthecomplexityoflocalbotanicalknowledge
AT ceciliatrillo wildedibleplantsofthecentralmountainsinargentinacomparingsubregionstounderstandthecomplexityoflocalbotanicalknowledge