article

Ethnobotany of the Miskitu of eastern Nicaragua

Journal of ethnobiology • 17 (2) • Published In 1997 • Pages: 171-214

By: Coe, Felix G., Anderson, Gregory J..

Abstract

The Miskitu are one of the three indigenous groups of eastern Nicaragua. Their uses of 353 species of plants in 262 genera and 89 families were documented in two years of fieldwork. Included are 310 species of medicinal, 95 species of food plants, and 127 species used for construction and crafts, dyes and tannins, firewood, and forage. Only 14 of 50 domesticated food species are native to the New World tropics, and only three to Mesoamerica. A majority of plant species used for purposes other than food or medicine are wild species native to eastern Nicaragua. Miskitu medicinal plants are used to treat more than 50 human ailments. Most (80%) of the medicinal plants are native to eastern Nicaragua, and two thirds have some bioactive principle. Many medicinal plants are herbs (40%) or trees (30%), and leaves are the most frequently used plant part. Herbal remedies are undergoing rapid acculturation caused by immigration of outsiders. This study is important not only for documenting uses of plants for science in general, but also because it provides a written record in particular of the oral tradition of medicinal uses of plants of and for the Miskitu (p. 171).

HRAF PubDate

2010

Region

Middle America and the Caribbean

Sub Region

Central America

Document Type

article

Evaluation

Creator Type

Biologist

Document Rating

5: Excellent Primary Data

Analyst

John Beierle; 2009

Field Date

1992-1993

Coverage Date

1633-1993

Coverage Place

Eastern Nicaragua

Notes

Felix G. Coe ; Gregory J. Anderson

Includes bibliographical references (p. 196-198)

LCCN

81643251

LCSH

Miskito Indians