Ethnobotany of the Ferns of Honduras

Abstract

The study was done on La Esperanza trail of the La Tigra National Park from September through December, 2002, and from February through March, 2003. La Esperanza trail has a length of 2.5 km; it is located between 1940 and 2120 meter above sea level, and it is characterized by having a very diverse broad-leaved vegetation (54 species). The main objective of the study was to determine the fern diversity present on the trail as well as the ethnobotany of the ferns in Honduras. A high diversity of ferns was found among which Elaphoglossum latifolium, Phlebodium pseudoaureum (epiphytes), Alsophila salvinii, Cyathea divergens var. tuerckheimii, Cyathea valdecrenata, Dicksonia gigantea, and Lophosoria quadripinnata var. quadripinnata (tree ferns) which are the most commonly used species in Honduras. Phlebodium pseudoaureum is one of the species most commonly used in Central and South America. The tree ferns mentioned above are subject to illegal commerce in Honduras, Central and South America, and that is why they are on CITES Appendix II.

Key words: Arborescent; fern; epiphyte; terrestrial; epipetric; ethnobotany.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/ceiba.v48i1-2.311

Ceiba, 2007. Volumen 48(1-2):1-10