FLORISTIC OF NATIVE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF REMINISCENT SEASONAL SEMI-DECIDUAS FOREST IN THE ALTO RIO GRANDE REGION - MINAS GERAIS

Abstract

Information was gathered in rural communities of the south of the State of Minas Gerais, microregion of Alto Rio Grande, municipalities of Lavas, Carrancas, Ingaí, Itumirim and Itutinga, which ones, how and  what for, the native semideciduous forest  species  plants,  in  this kind  of  vegetation,  are  used  for popular medicine. The inquiring method used was that proposed by Alencar & Gomes (1998) and the survey and data analysis were based on Trivinos method. Eight informants participated in the field work. For each medicinal species that was sampled, notes were taken on habit and the level of occurrence. In 12 sample areas, 351 individuals belonging to 64 families, 112 genres and 142 species, were surveyed. The families that presented the largest number of native medicinal species, were: Fabaceae - 11; Asteraceae - 10; Annonaceae, Bignoniaceae, Myrtaceae e Rubiaceae - 7; Solanaceae - 5; Aristolochiaceae, Lamiaceae, e Malvaceae - 4; Anacardiaceae, Dilleniaceae, Lauraceae, Meliaceae e Rutaceae - 3; these species contributed with 56,7% of the total.  The genres that presented the largest number of native medicinal species were: Aristolochia e Eugenia - 4; Luehea, Mikania, Solanum, Vitex e Xylopia - 3. The occurrence of rare species in the studied forest fragments was also verified, among which were: Geissospermum laeve (Vell.) Miers., Capsicodendron dinisii (Schwacke) Occhioni, Citronella gongonha (Mart.) R. A. Howard, Maytenus aquifolia Mart., Vitex megapotamica (Spreng.) Moldenke, Virola sebifera Aubl., Eugenia pleurantha O. Berg, Baufourodendron riedelianum (Engl.) Engl., Solanum pseudoquina A. St.-Hil., e Styrax pohlii A. DC.