Showing papers in "Economic Botany in 2002"

Genetic Data Analysis II. Methods for Discrete Population Genentic Data

Abstract: ‘‘Gentlemen don’t need mistletoe’’ said the Christmas whiskey billboard I saw recently in Florida, a garish reminder of how much mistletoe lore is embedded in western society. Mistletoe The Genus Viscum, one in the series of medicinal and aromatic plants for industry and academic researchers, centers on the mistletoe in this advertisement, the common European mistletoe,Viscum album. There are helpful discussions on African, Asian, and Argentine mistletoes and their uses but the corpus of the book deals with V. album. Viscum album, considered sacred by the Druids, is no doubt the most widely used parasitic angiosperm for various health concoctions. As a result, much has been learned about its biochemistry and pharmaceutical potential. A great deal of the work on the culture and utilization ofV. album has been done by investigators at Institute Hiscia Center for Cancer Research in Switzerland where votaries of Rudolf Steiner’s distinct form of homeopathy have used mistletoe extracts (‘‘Iscador’’) for many years in cancer treatment. Mistletoe collected from less common hosts are considered to have greater efficacy in preparation of Iscador. As a result, there is a helpful chapter on culturing V. album which is not as difficult as might be imagined for an obligate parasite. Most of the chapters deal with the medicinal aspects of mistletoe including toxicology, clinical aspects, chemistry, and biochemistry emphasizing the lectins which are one of the more desirable compounds produced by the parasite. I found the treatment by Bu ̈ssing (Biological and pharmacological properties of Viscum album L.) helpful because it reviews the link between folk and modern medicine. However, several relevant papers were omitted which are included in a recent excellent review of mistletoes (Watson 2001). Like many books with a diversity of authors, the quality of chapters varies. Obviously produced as a reference volume, Mistletoe lacks an extensive index. Especially aggravating is the lack of an author’s index, limiting the value of the book for anyone looking for specific papers. These days, $70 for a hardbound monograph is reasonable. Color images are well-produced but some of the black and white figures are blurry in my copy. This volume will be of value to ethnobotanists, anyone interested in alternative medicines, and students of mistletoes and parasitic plants. LITERATURE CITED

Guns, Germs, and Steel. The Fate of Human Societies

Abstract: ‘‘Gentlemen don’t need mistletoe’’ said the Christmas whiskey billboard I saw recently in Florida, a garish reminder of how much mistletoe lore is embedded in western society. Mistletoe The Genus Viscum, one in the series of medicinal and aromatic plants for industry and academic researchers, centers on the mistletoe in this advertisement, the common European mistletoe,Viscum album. There are helpful discussions on African, Asian, and Argentine mistletoes and their uses but the corpus of the book deals with V. album. Viscum album, considered sacred by the Druids, is no doubt the most widely used parasitic angiosperm for various health concoctions. As a result, much has been learned about its biochemistry and pharmaceutical potential. A great deal of the work on the culture and utilization ofV. album has been done by investigators at Institute Hiscia Center for Cancer Research in Switzerland where votaries of Rudolf Steiner’s distinct form of homeopathy have used mistletoe extracts (‘‘Iscador’’) for many years in cancer treatment. Mistletoe collected from less common hosts are considered to have greater efficacy in preparation of Iscador. As a result, there is a helpful chapter on culturing V. album which is not as difficult as might be imagined for an obligate parasite. Most of the chapters deal with the medicinal aspects of mistletoe including toxicology, clinical aspects, chemistry, and biochemistry emphasizing the lectins which are one of the more desirable compounds produced by the parasite. I found the treatment by Bu ̈ssing (Biological and pharmacological properties of Viscum album L.) helpful because it reviews the link between folk and modern medicine. However, several relevant papers were omitted which are included in a recent excellent review of mistletoes (Watson 2001). Like many books with a diversity of authors, the quality of chapters varies. Obviously produced as a reference volume, Mistletoe lacks an extensive index. Especially aggravating is the lack of an author’s index, limiting the value of the book for anyone looking for specific papers. These days, $70 for a hardbound monograph is reasonable. Color images are well-produced but some of the black and white figures are blurry in my copy. This volume will be of value to ethnobotanists, anyone interested in alternative medicines, and students of mistletoes and parasitic plants. LITERATURE CITED

Use patterns and value of savanna resources in three rural villages in South Africa

Abstract: Rural communities in South Africa harvest a diversity of wild resources from communal woodlands for home consumption and sale. The contribution these resources make to the rural economy has been little recognized, and few studies have attempted to place a monetary value on this use. This paper describes three case studies which aimed to determine the value of savanna resources for the livelihoods of rural households. Use patterns and values of resources in three villages of differing socioeconomic status were determined using household interviews, PRA techniques and key informant interviews. Questions were designed to establish the types of products used, frequency of use, quantities used, seasonality of use, longevity of durable resources, local prices, and the extent of trade. All households were procuring at least some woodland resources, with the most frequently used being fuel wood, wood for implements, edible herbs and fruits, grass for brushes, and insects. Patterns of resource use varied ...

A Sand County Almanac with Essays on Conservation

Abstract: The publication of Mayo Ethnobotany deserves our celebration. Combining field observations, library and herbarium research, authors Yetman and Van Devender pooled their resources to produce a comprehensive portrait of the geology, geography, history, language, culture and botany of the Mayos, an indigenous people of northwestern Mexico. As with many other cultures, Mayo traditional knowledge is rapidly being lost as the people are absorbed into modern Mexico. The authors, who started out working in the Rı́o Mayo region independently and explored the land for several years unbeknownst to each other, spent six years studying the Mayo region, though their studies continue. They had previously lived and worked in the Sonoran Desert for decades, and their attention was drawn to Rı́o Mayo because the ‘‘desert dwindles away and merges into more tropical’’ systems. The book’s contents are divided into two sections. Part one consists of a description of the people and the land, a brief ethnography of the Mayos, their history, and an overview of plant and animal life. That section concludes with an extended portrayal of ‘‘Eight Plants that Make Mayos Mayos,’’ nominated because they are known to all, and integral to Mayo life. Part two, the second half the book, is devoted to an annotated list of plants arranged alphabetically by plant family. The list appears to be complete, both in species listed, and usage. The botanical descriptions are detailed and picturesque, and special attention is given to information about habitat. Culinary, medicinal and veterinary use, industrial, construction, artifact, and every other human use are relayed. Non-native crop species are included when they make a significant contribution to the cash economy of the growers. Hence, we learn that many Mayos plant ajonjoli (sesame) as a cash crop. Thousands of acres of ajonjoli are planted in the Mayo region and almost all of the seeds are sold in the international market. They are accustomed to ‘‘interplant beans, squash and, above all, watermelon,’’ a practice that reminds this writer of a similar list of species intercropped with sesame in the Wadi Hadhramaut region of Yemen. Care was taken to present supplemental documentary records. A number of informative black and white illustrations are scattered through the volume. Six Appendices offer data that may be useful to future researchers: Mayo region place names and their meanings; Yoreme consultants; Gazetteer of the Mayo region; Mayo plants listed by Spanish names; Mayo plants listed by Mayo name; and Glossary of Mayo and Spanish terms. A dozen pages of notes at the end of the book provide elaboration of specific facts. Another dozen pages devoted to a thorough index follow a five-page bibliography. Affordable and easy to read and to use, it should be added to every professional’s library.

Plant use knowledge of the Winikina Warao: The case for questionnaires in ethnobotany

Abstract: A questionnaire was used to measure plant use knowledge for 18 plants from 40 randomly selected Winikina Warao respondents of two villages in the Orinoco River Delta, Venezuela. Five use values are presented: reported use (RU) value for each plant and plant part; plant part value (PPV); specific use (SU) value; intraspecific use value (IUV); and overall use value (OUV). The overall use value can be used to target plants of potential interest to researchers. Although certain precautions must be taken when undertaking this type of study, questionnaires are important tools that can be used to assess the dynamic interplay between people and the plants they use.

Exploring Agrodiversity: Daniel F. Austin, Book Review Editor

Abstract: The publication of Mayo Ethnobotany deserves our celebration. Combining field observations, library and herbarium research, authors Yetman and Van Devender pooled their resources to produce a comprehensive portrait of the geology, geography, history, language, culture and botany of the Mayos, an indigenous people of northwestern Mexico. As with many other cultures, Mayo traditional knowledge is rapidly being lost as the people are absorbed into modern Mexico. The authors, who started out working in the Rı́o Mayo region independently and explored the land for several years unbeknownst to each other, spent six years studying the Mayo region, though their studies continue. They had previously lived and worked in the Sonoran Desert for decades, and their attention was drawn to Rı́o Mayo because the ‘‘desert dwindles away and merges into more tropical’’ systems. The book’s contents are divided into two sections. Part one consists of a description of the people and the land, a brief ethnography of the Mayos, their history, and an overview of plant and animal life. That section concludes with an extended portrayal of ‘‘Eight Plants that Make Mayos Mayos,’’ nominated because they are known to all, and integral to Mayo life. Part two, the second half the book, is devoted to an annotated list of plants arranged alphabetically by plant family. The list appears to be complete, both in species listed, and usage. The botanical descriptions are detailed and picturesque, and special attention is given to information about habitat. Culinary, medicinal and veterinary use, industrial, construction, artifact, and every other human use are relayed. Non-native crop species are included when they make a significant contribution to the cash economy of the growers. Hence, we learn that many Mayos plant ajonjoli (sesame) as a cash crop. Thousands of acres of ajonjoli are planted in the Mayo region and almost all of the seeds are sold in the international market. They are accustomed to ‘‘interplant beans, squash and, above all, watermelon,’’ a practice that reminds this writer of a similar list of species intercropped with sesame in the Wadi Hadhramaut region of Yemen. Care was taken to present supplemental documentary records. A number of informative black and white illustrations are scattered through the volume. Six Appendices offer data that may be useful to future researchers: Mayo region place names and their meanings; Yoreme consultants; Gazetteer of the Mayo region; Mayo plants listed by Spanish names; Mayo plants listed by Mayo name; and Glossary of Mayo and Spanish terms. A dozen pages of notes at the end of the book provide elaboration of specific facts. Another dozen pages devoted to a thorough index follow a five-page bibliography. Affordable and easy to read and to use, it should be added to every professional’s library.

The Ethnobotany of Chaya (Cnidoscolus Aconitifolius ssp. Aconitifolius Breckon): A Nutritious Maya Vegetable1

Abstract: Chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius ssp. aconitifolius Breckon) is a domesticated leafy green vegetable of the Maya region of Guatemala, Belize, southeast Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula, and parts of Honduras. Though relatively unknown outside of this area, evidence suggests that chaya was of significant importance to ancient peoples of the Yucatan Peninsula and perhaps elsewhere within the Maya region. Here we review what little research has been done on this impressive plant, as well as recount our own ethnobotanical investigation into its use as a food plant and medicine, and discuss its botany, nomenclature, and agricultural use. Due to its ease of cultivation, potential productivity, and above all its substantial nutritional value, we propose chaya as a potential crop for areas outside Mesoamerica.

Local Knowledge of Biotic Diversity and its Conservation in Rural Hausaland, Northern Nigeria1

Abstract: Because biodiversity is debated primarily from western perspectives, the significance of threatened taxa has not been properly assessed in the cultural and ecological contexts of their use. Instead, conservable species tend to be identified by outsiders who are culturally and politically detached from the threatened environments. However, over the last decade or so a growing number of studies document why and how indigenous knowledge and people can become part of development and sustainable conservation. Presented here is a Nigerian example that illustrates how formal conservation efforts are handicapped by their failure to take into account local environmental knowledge. I argue that the potential erosion of biodiversity in Hausaland has been checked by the varied management of cultivated and other lands, and by the use of plants in overlapping contexts—as medicines, foods, and the like.

Chinanteco Management of Aechmea magdalenae: Implications for the Use of TEK and TRM in Management Plans1

Abstract: The importance of incorporating traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and traditional resource management (TRM) into resource management plans is increasingly recognized, but little quantitative data exists on the ecological and economic implications of these systems. We quantitatively evaluate the TEK and TRM associated with the nontimber forest species, Aechmea magdalenae, in indigenous Chinanteco communities in Mexico. Two TRM systems for A. magdalenae are described and their effects on growth rates of individuals and populations are measured. Simulations using matrix population models combined with yield experiments reveal that one management system is higher yielding and less costly than the other. Thinning and transplanting are two of the most important management practices that enable populations to withstand higher rates of harvest than those predicted in a management plan that was not based on TRM. Quantitative evaluation of Chinanteco TEK is used to discuss how it may be best combined with science in management plans for nontimber forest species.

Why “Bitter” Cassava? Productivity of “Bitter” and “Sweet” Cassava in a Tukanoan Indian Settlement in the Northwest Amazon1

Abstract: Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a cyanide-containing root crop used by many indigenous groups in Amazonia. Despite the availability of low-cyanogenic potential (CNP) cassava, the Tukanoans of the Colombian Amazon region and many other indigenous groups in lowland Amazonia cultivate primarily high-CNP cassava as their staple crop. Based on the assumption that the Tukanoan preference for high-CNP cultivars is due, in part, to the ability of these cultivars to consistently produce higher yields, we tested the null hypothesis that low-CNP cassava has yields that are greater than or equal to the yields of high-CNP cultivars in Tukanoan gardens. To do so we compared the yields of low- and high-CNP cassava in 10 Tukanoan gardens and in one control garden. We reject the null hypothesis: high-CNP cultivars yielded more than low-CNP cultivars in both traditional Tukanoan Indian gardens and a control garden. Although there are several possible explanations for the differences in yields, the most plausible inference is that the high-CNP plants are more likely to be disease and/or insect resistant.

Buckwheat. Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. Promoting the conservation and use of underutilized and neglected crops, Vol. 19

Abstract: This book is a collaborative effort on multiple levels: between a scientist and an avid gardener as authors, and between a government ministry and a commercial firm as publishers. As such it is a book with identity issues, reflected throughout in the blending of styles, organization of information, and even the design of the text. The subject matter is fascinating and the authors are to be commended for writing a book for those who live and garden in extremely cold climates in North America. Sadly, not everything in this graft chimaera works. The introductory 15 pages or so describe methods for garden design and horticultural techniques suited to a climate where trapping and conserving heat, as well as making optimal use of the short growing season, is crucial to success. Cloches, cold frames, hot beds, and water jackets are all clearly explained and nicely illustrated. So far, so good. The main body of the book, comprising 145 pages, catalogs herbs that can be grown successfully under hard-winter conditions; these are keyed to a plant hardiness zone map that emphasizes the continental North America. The main entries are ordered by common name, with scientific name, plant family, and alternative common names provided. The total number of species covered is elusive; a number of taxa are mentioned in passing under some main entries, for example 3 cultivars and 3 additional species of Salvia are mentioned in the account of garden sage. Because there is no index it is impossible to access information about these herb taxa unless you remember what main entry they are described under. The lack of an index to all names used in the text is a serious shortcoming for a book organized in this way. However, once one gets oriented in the text, there is a great deal here to delight. The species accounts are organized in a logical sequence, filled with interesting information organized as bulleted points rather than prose. Selected bits of (usually historical) information have been set off in tinted boxes inserted in the text. The illustrations are set in the text, with lines of text often varying in length so they abut the artworks. These design features I found visually distracting, even irksome. The use of botanical art reproduced from 18th and 19th century works is unusual. The sources, however, are not identified, which precludes access to the information originally published with these historical artworks. A few species have been illustrated with original artwork that imitates the older style; these have been credited to the artists that created them. All in all Culinary Herbs for Short-Season Gardeners is a mixed bag. The authors have created an authoritative text, which fills a niche not addressed in the herb gardening literature. However, the amateurish design and layout do not serve the text well. For those avid herb growers and fanciers living in hard winter areas, the book is worth having. But it will require taking the time to become thoroughly familiar with it in order to use it effectively. This is not a book one can pick up to quickly answer a particular question, but rather one to sit and browse through by the fire on a long dark winter’s night.

Integrated Plant Nutrient Management in Sub-Saharan Africa. From Concept to Practice

Abstract: Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) in a Sustainable Rice-Wheat Cropping System-Anil Mahajan 2009-05-07 Agriculture is the main occupation in India and about 75% of its population depends directly or indirectly on agriculture for their livelihood. It is the dominant sector that contributes 18% of the gross domestic product. Thus, agriculture is the foundation of the Indian economy. The maximum share of Indian exports is also from the agriculture sector. As the population of the country is increasing tremdously, approximately at the rate of 19 million every year over the existing popution of more than 1 billion (approximately 1. 18 billion), the food grain production must necessarily be increased. This can be done by increasing crop production to match the population growth rate of 2. 2% per annum, which is expected to stabilize at 1. 53 billion around 2050. There is no doubt that the Green Revolution in India during the late 1960s brought self-sufficiency in food grain production, mainly through the increase in rice and wheat crop yields – the two main crops of the country which play an important role from food security point of view. However, the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, and the neglect of organic manures for these crops, has resulted in the deterioration of physical, chemical and biological health of the riand wheat-growing soils. Owing to the deterioration of the health of these soils, the productivity of the rice–wheat cropping system has now either got reduced or in some places has become constant for the last decade.

Germination Ecology of Cassava (Manihot Esculenta Crantz, Euphorbiaceae) in Traditional Agroecosystems: Seed and Seedling Biology of a Vegetatively Propagated Domesticated Plant1

Abstract: Cassava is clonally propagated, but Amerindian farmers also use plants from volunteer seedlings to prepare stem cuttings. Although sexual reproduction plays a role in cassava’s evolution it is poorly studied. We examined one aspect of cassava reproductive ecology, seed dormancy and germination. Volunteer seedlings emerge from a soil bank of seeds produced during the previous cycle of cultivation that remain ungerminated through the fallow period, then germinate synchronously after vegetation is slashed and burned. Laboratory experiments showed that germination can be enhanced by mechanical scarification and also by dry heat treatment, suggesting that burning after field clearing could help break dormancy. Germination was also stimulated by high temperatures (35°C) that in nature indicate bare soils, and inhibited by temperatures (25°C) close to those in soil shaded by vegetation and by light. Seeds of both wild and domesticated cassava exhibit physiological dormancy, an adaptation for germination in periodically disturbed habitats. In addition to these preadaptations, preliminary results also suggest specific adaptations of domesticated cassava to the distinctive disturbance regimes of swidden agriculture.

Variation in Hypericins from Wild Populations of Hypericum perforatum L. in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S.A1

Abstract: Representatives from eight wild populations of Hypericum perforatum L. were collected from Montana and Northern California at flowering, and subsequently analyzed for hypericin and pseudohypericin using HPLC analysis. Total individual plant concentrations in these wild populations were from 0.0003–0.1250% dry weight (DW) hypericin and 0.0019–0.8458% DW pseudohypericin. In general, hypericin concentrations were highest in the plant’s reproductive (flower and bud) tissues, followed by leaf and stem tissues, respectively. Hypericin and pseudohypericin concentrations were positively correlated in all samples, although the relative ratio of hypericin to pseudohypericin varied with site location.

Paleoethnobotany. A Handbook of Procedures, second edition

Abstract: ‘‘Gentlemen don’t need mistletoe’’ said the Christmas whiskey billboard I saw recently in Florida, a garish reminder of how much mistletoe lore is embedded in western society. Mistletoe The Genus Viscum, one in the series of medicinal and aromatic plants for industry and academic researchers, centers on the mistletoe in this advertisement, the common European mistletoe,Viscum album. There are helpful discussions on African, Asian, and Argentine mistletoes and their uses but the corpus of the book deals with V. album. Viscum album, considered sacred by the Druids, is no doubt the most widely used parasitic angiosperm for various health concoctions. As a result, much has been learned about its biochemistry and pharmaceutical potential. A great deal of the work on the culture and utilization ofV. album has been done by investigators at Institute Hiscia Center for Cancer Research in Switzerland where votaries of Rudolf Steiner’s distinct form of homeopathy have used mistletoe extracts (‘‘Iscador’’) for many years in cancer treatment. Mistletoe collected from less common hosts are considered to have greater efficacy in preparation of Iscador. As a result, there is a helpful chapter on culturing V. album which is not as difficult as might be imagined for an obligate parasite. Most of the chapters deal with the medicinal aspects of mistletoe including toxicology, clinical aspects, chemistry, and biochemistry emphasizing the lectins which are one of the more desirable compounds produced by the parasite. I found the treatment by Bu ̈ssing (Biological and pharmacological properties of Viscum album L.) helpful because it reviews the link between folk and modern medicine. However, several relevant papers were omitted which are included in a recent excellent review of mistletoes (Watson 2001). Like many books with a diversity of authors, the quality of chapters varies. Obviously produced as a reference volume, Mistletoe lacks an extensive index. Especially aggravating is the lack of an author’s index, limiting the value of the book for anyone looking for specific papers. These days, $70 for a hardbound monograph is reasonable. Color images are well-produced but some of the black and white figures are blurry in my copy. This volume will be of value to ethnobotanists, anyone interested in alternative medicines, and students of mistletoes and parasitic plants. LITERATURE CITED

Starch Granule Size and the Domestication of Manioc (Manihot Esculenta) and Sweet Potato (Ipomoea Batatas)1

Abstract: Archaeological studies of plant remains have indicated that an increase in seed size is frequently correlated with both intensive cultivation and domestication of seed crop plants. To test if starch granules of domesticated root crops are significantly larger than those of wild or less intensively cultivated plants, archaeological and modern specimens of manioc and sweet potato were sampled for starch granules, and granule size was compared across a temporal sequence. The results indicate that a gross generalization can be made that modern specimens of both manioc and sweet potato yield larger starch granules than some archaeological specimens. It does appear, however, that modern domesticated manioc roots produce significantly larger-sized starch granules than those of its purported wild ancestor. Additionally, there exist two lines of evidence that the coastal Peruvian and lowland Neotropical regional types of manioc differ from one another and have been separate for several millennia. These findings indicate that manioc may have been domesticated more than once.

Using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (aflp) to identify black cohosh (actaea racemosa) 1

Abstract: The rhizome of Actaea racemosa L., commonly called black cohosh, is a popular botanical dietary supplement used to treat female health concerns. The rhizomes used in black cohosh products are often collected from the wild. To ensure quality control, it is imperative that plants be correctly identified. This paper examines the use of the DNA fingerprinting technique, AFLP, as an analytical means of identifying A. racemosa from three other closely related sympatric species. To this end, 262 AFLP markers were generated, and one unique fingerprint was identified for A. racemosa, whereas two, six, and eight unique fingerprints were identified for the closely related species A. pachypoda, A. cordifolia, and A. podocarpa, respectively. Two commercial black cohosh products were also subjected to AFLP analysis and shown to contain only A. racemosa. The results of this study suggest that AFLP analysis may offer a useful method for quality control in the botanical dietary supplements industry.

Ethnobotanical Studies on Some Pteridophytes of Southern Nigeria1

Abstract: Southern Nigeria represents one of the richest zones of vegetational wealth of Nigeria. The land surface is dominated by plants under 200 m.a.s.1. Folk utilization of pteridophytes by the southern Nigerians was studied. The results of this survey display an interesting diversity and distribution of ferns and fern-allied plants used as medicines, food, cosmetics, and manure in southern Nigeria. The data were compiled from frequent field trips conducted in 40 local government areas (LGAs). A total of 36 plant species belonging to 22 families were identified. Plant specimens and information were collected directly from the local inhabitants in villages and peri-urban towns. Our literature survey showed little or no documentation of ethnobotanical studies on pteridophytes of this region. Therefore, the present communication serves to bridge the gap. Thus, these pteridophytes could provide a vital source for healthcare and economic revenue after appropriate pharmacological analysis by patents.

Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge: Equitable Partnerships in Practice

Abstract: The author (an anthropologist) explains that his aim in writing this book is to show that Zapotec in agricultural activities in Talea are as much a science as that of agronomists trained in the universities. For our readers such proof is unnecessary. The methods he describes to prove his thesis is a must-read for economic botanists. Dr. González actually lived and worked for fourteen months with the campesinos of Talea. He planted and harvested corn, made unrefined brown sugar, and worked the coffee plantations, which is the cash crop in Talea. With great effort, he learns to use a machete and other items he labors to describe as ‘‘implements’’ rather than tools or machines. He also plays the trumpet in the village band. González gives a through history of Talea from the Spanish Conquest to the local and national politics of today. He is an excellent writer and, except for the ‘‘proof’’ parts of the text, a fascinating one. After a thorough reading this reviewer felt almost as if she had been there. However, while the men were working long days and nights far from home, the lives of their wives and children who remain in the village are an almost total blank. Had there been a Ms. González living among them our picture of this vanishing agricultural way of life would have been complete. Their way of life is vanishing because these campesinos are economically successful. Their preserved raw brown sugar safely wrapped and stored can always be sold for a premium to those who dislike the refined sugar sold cheaply in the stores. The coffee is not top quality but does bring a good price. The campesinos are not extravagant. They save their money and send their children to college. So they are probably the last generation to farm by these methods. At least we have a carefully detailed description of how they did it.

Fruit production of the Ungurahua Palm (Oenocarpus bataua subsp.Bataua, Arecaceae) in an Indigenous Managed Reserve

Abstract: The ungurahua palm (Oenocarpus bataua subsp.bataua) is widely used throughout the Amazon Basin for its thatch, fibers, wood, and edible fruits. The fruits of this species are especially important to indigenous peoples and yield a high quality oil. This study examines the use of this species by the Siona people of the Ecuadorian Amazon in the Cuyabeno Faunistic Reserve. The reproductive phenology, fruit production, and relationship between vegetative characteristics and fruit production is explored here. Fruit production varies greatly from palm to palm with a range of approximately 500–7000 fruits biennially. This amounts to approximately 700 kg/ha every two years. Height, diameter breast height (dbh), and number of leaves on an individual are poor predictors of tree productivity. Reproductive histories of individual palms are examined. The economic potential of this species and the implications of overharvesting are discussed.

Making and Marketing Chambira Hammocks and Bags in the Village of Brillo Nuevo, Northeastern Peru1

Abstract: Astrocaryum chambira Burret is a palm that provides edible fruits and fibers for making handicrafts. This study focused on the fiber products (hammocks and bags) made by the Bora in the Peruvian Amazonia. Making chambira handicrafts consists of several different phases. Handicrafts are marketed to tourists, river traders, or shopkeepers in the city of Iquitos. Villagers travel actively to sell their products because of the remote location of the village from the market. The prices received by producers were extremely low when considering the amount of work, but the prices were low also in other steps (middleman, tourist). Still, chambira works provide an important source of income for villagers. The greater abundance of A. chambira in secondary forest compared with the primary forest indicates that it has potential for agroforestry. Agroforestry systems can provide a sustainable way to use land in the rainforest areas in NE Peru, and in this system nontimber forest products may have an important role.

Ethnobotany of the Wild Mexican Cucurbitaceae1

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a survey on the ethnobotany of the wild Mexican Cucurbitaceae. The sources of information were fieldwork in different regions of Mexico, as well as herbarium specimens and bibliographic references. A total of 34 wild species (26.5% of the 128 wild mexican species) of Cucurbitaceae are reported as used in 24 of the 32 states of Mexico. All of the species are called by one or more local names, and 23 are known by names in native languages. The uses comprise 12 categories, including human medicine (18), food (13), soap substitute (12), fodder (4), toy (3), drink (2), ornate (2), insecticide (1), animal medicine (1), handicrafts (2), container (1), and ceremonial (1), and some uses date back to pre-Hispanic and colonial times.

A New Approach to Consider the Pollen Variable in Forecasting Yield Models1

Abstract: Methods for forecasting harvest yields have been improved considerably in the last 20 years with the development of new data survey (remote sensing) and statistical techniques. One of these methods, based on pollen release in the atmosphere, is especially important for anemophilous species such as olive. The aim of the present work is to use a different approach to forecast the olive harvest by considering the pollen variable as “endogenous” because it is involved in the consequential processes from the formation of pollen to fruiting, the complex of which determines, more or less, the final production. Unlike models built upon a single equation (multiple linear regression analysis), the proposed estimate, based on an incomplete system of equations, recovers the consistency associated with the inference of parameters while avoiding the errors of “over-estimation.” The study, based on 17 years of data considers the quantity of olive pollen monitored and the relative annual olive production in addition to climatic, agronomic, and pathological variables associated with production. The harvest forecast provides the possibility for planning and optimizing the various stages of olive production from cultivation to distribution, including sound management of the olive supply.

Plants in Samoan Culture. The Ethnobotany of Samoa

Abstract: This book is a collaborative effort on multiple levels: between a scientist and an avid gardener as authors, and between a government ministry and a commercial firm as publishers. As such it is a book with identity issues, reflected throughout in the blending of styles, organization of information, and even the design of the text. The subject matter is fascinating and the authors are to be commended for writing a book for those who live and garden in extremely cold climates in North America. Sadly, not everything in this graft chimaera works. The introductory 15 pages or so describe methods for garden design and horticultural techniques suited to a climate where trapping and conserving heat, as well as making optimal use of the short growing season, is crucial to success. Cloches, cold frames, hot beds, and water jackets are all clearly explained and nicely illustrated. So far, so good. The main body of the book, comprising 145 pages, catalogs herbs that can be grown successfully under hard-winter conditions; these are keyed to a plant hardiness zone map that emphasizes the continental North America. The main entries are ordered by common name, with scientific name, plant family, and alternative common names provided. The total number of species covered is elusive; a number of taxa are mentioned in passing under some main entries, for example 3 cultivars and 3 additional species of Salvia are mentioned in the account of garden sage. Because there is no index it is impossible to access information about these herb taxa unless you remember what main entry they are described under. The lack of an index to all names used in the text is a serious shortcoming for a book organized in this way. However, once one gets oriented in the text, there is a great deal here to delight. The species accounts are organized in a logical sequence, filled with interesting information organized as bulleted points rather than prose. Selected bits of (usually historical) information have been set off in tinted boxes inserted in the text. The illustrations are set in the text, with lines of text often varying in length so they abut the artworks. These design features I found visually distracting, even irksome. The use of botanical art reproduced from 18th and 19th century works is unusual. The sources, however, are not identified, which precludes access to the information originally published with these historical artworks. A few species have been illustrated with original artwork that imitates the older style; these have been credited to the artists that created them. All in all Culinary Herbs for Short-Season Gardeners is a mixed bag. The authors have created an authoritative text, which fills a niche not addressed in the herb gardening literature. However, the amateurish design and layout do not serve the text well. For those avid herb growers and fanciers living in hard winter areas, the book is worth having. But it will require taking the time to become thoroughly familiar with it in order to use it effectively. This is not a book one can pick up to quickly answer a particular question, but rather one to sit and browse through by the fire on a long dark winter’s night.

The Gaharu Trade in Indonesia: Is It Sustainable?1

Abstract: When subjected to fungal attack, Aquilaria spp (Thymelaeaceae) produce a fragrant resin that is traded internationally as gaharu Socioeconomic aspects of the gaharu trade were investigated via interviews with collectors and local and international traders In addition, the extent of local and international trade was evaluated by reference to official government statistics Evidence that gaharu resources are declining was obtained from the personal experience of gaharu collectors, and official statistics relating to the declining number of gaharu export companies in operation Traders also reported that the main source of gaharu has recently switched from Sumatra and Kalimantan to sources in eastern Indonesia (Maluku and Irian Jaya), a finding supported by official statistics Disparities recorded between official figures for the price and volume of gaharu in local and international trade, supported by comments made by export traders, indicate that a high proportion of the more valuable, high-grade gaharu is traded illegally by personal transaction Interviews with gaharu collectors indicated that traditional approaches to harvesting are declining, as more nonlocal people become involved in collection, leading to more intensive harvesting practices Together, these findings suggest that the current Indonesian trade in gaharu is not sustainable