Vegetation units of the Argentine Semiarid Chaco: The Toba-Pilagá perception

SCARPA, G.F.; ARENAS, P.

Phytocoenologia

Gebrüder Borntraeger

Lugar: Berlin-Stuttgart; Año: 2004 vol. 34 p. 133 - 161

0340-269X

This paper studies the nomenclature and classification assigned to vegetation units by the Toba-Pilagá Indians of the Gran Chaco. The ethno-botanical research consisted of 12 campaigns in which we worked with 58 informants. The study describes a particular aspect of the traditional knowledge of plants: the perception of the plant environment. The vernacular names of plants, the names of vegetation units, and their respective classification are provided. Of a total of 235 recorded species, 217 taxa form part of some type of vegetation unit, whereas 18 are not part of any type of plant unit. A total of 196 vernacular names referring to 304 vegetation units were recorded. An ethno-taxonomic system by which the Toba-Pilagá classify 277 vegetation units into 27 categories according to attributes such as physiognomy, succession, relative ease of access and visibility, and according to their association with elements of the landscape is revealed. These categories are organised in turn within a hierarchical system with different degrees of inclusiveness.