From practice to memory: between persistence and disuse of Gunnera mexicana (Gunneraceae) in a vulnerable habitat

Abstract

Background and Aims: In Mexico, Gunnera mexicana has a restricted distribution in Chiapas, Puebla, and Veracruz, thriving in humid areas between 1500 and 2400 m a.s.l. There are few records of the use of this species, both in Veracruz and throughout the country. The objective of this study was to document the traditional uses of this species in Buenavista, municipality of Ixhuacán de los Reyes, Veracruz.
Methods: A small number of interviews were conducted due to the population size of the study site (270 inhabitants) and the limited use of the species there. As supporting evidence, botanical material was collected and deposited in the herbarium XAL.
Key results: Two classes of the species known as “caña agria” were identified: the red one, which has a bitter taste, is not used; while the greenish-white class is mostly used by some older women to wrap tamales and obtain water from the petiole. Adult men provided information on the petiole’s water consumption to quench thirst and the current disuse of the local name “camote” (thickening of the base of the petioles), which was previously used to make atole.
Conclusions: The use of Gunnera mexicana leaves to wrap tamales and the petiole as a source of drinking water was recorded for the first time among some people in the community of Buenavista. This study shows that the associated traditional knowledge is limited and at risk, as it is mainly concentrated among older adults and specific practices with little intergenerational transmission. Despite an increase in local forest cover, the species remains vulnerable. Taxonomic, population, and ethnobotanical studies are suggested, primarily in areas adjacent to the study region. Comprehensive actions are needed to strengthen biocultural conservation at the local level.