Local Botanical Knowledge about Sideroxylon obtusifolium (Roem. & Schult.) T.D.Penn. in Rural Communities in the Semi-Arid Region of Brazil

Sideroxylon obtusifolium (Roem. u0026 Schult.) T.D.Penn. is a species widely used, for several purposes, by traditional populations from the semi-arid region of Brazil. This study records the knowledge and use attributed to this species by residents from two regions: the Curimatau (Coelho and Capivara communities) and the Cariri (Sao Francisco and Santa Rita communities) located in the semi-arid region of Paraiba State, Northeast Brazil. We interviewed all householders (244 informants) through a semi-structured form. The data were organized in eight use categories, and comparisons were made using a Mann-Whitney test and a Kruskal-Wallis test. Medicinal was the most cited use. To test the similarity in medicinal uses, we used a one-way ANOSIM permutation test. Knowledge about plant use was similar in both communities but differed by gender. Bark was the most used part for medicinal purposes, and “undefined diseases or undefined pains” was the most cited bodily system-ailment. Specific needs in each community determined how plants were employed.