Patagonian Berries:An Ethnobotanical Approach to Exploration of their Nutraceutical Potential.Chapter 4

CHAMORRO, M; LADIO A H; MOLARES, SOLEDAD

Ethnobotany Local Knowledge and Traditions

C.R.C. Press. Taylor and Francis Group

Lugar: Boca Raton; Año: 2018; p. 50 - 69

The ten species described here constitute part of the cultural heritage of the region. They have been used as food and medicine from ancient times up to the present, forming part of both the material and symbolic lives of the different Patagonian inhabitants (Rapoport et al. 2005, Ladio and Lozada 2000, 2001). Their importance is reflected in the oral history of both countries, through legends(e.g., the legend of the calafate), the regional toponymy, and in the everyday lives of the people. Their biocultural value in the zone can be attributed to diverse factors that are multifactorial?sociocultural and biological-environmental, each one enriching the others, which are briefly detailed below:These species have a broad geographical distribution, mainly in the Argentine-Chilean Andean-Patagonian forests and in areas of the Andean pre-cordillera (Zuloaga and Morrone 2009). Various studies have shown that the more widespread species have tended to be the most used as a food or medicinal resource, since different cultures are more likely to have experience of them and transmit this knowledge to other communities living in areas where the same species grow (Lozada et al. 2006, Molares and Ladio 2014).Therefore, they are apparent resources for local people. The life forms of the 10 species are mostly perennial shrubs, followed by low bushes and herbs, which are relatively abundant and visible, can be monitored throughout the whole year, and the fruit is easily accessible, growing at an easy height for gathering by hand. Various authors have highlighted the importance of the availability, abundance and accessibility of the plants in space and time, so that the different societies can make use of them and experiment with them (Stepp and Moerman 2001, Molares and Ladio 2012).