
doi: 10.1111/brv.13092
pmid: 38700131
ABSTRACTThe Caatinga, an exclusively Brazilian biome, stands as a reservoir of remarkable biodiversity. Its significance transcends ecological dimensions, given the direct reliance of the local population on its resources for sustenance and healthcare. While Myrtaceae, a pivotal botanical family within the Brazilian flora, has been extensively explored for its medicinal and nutritional attributes, scant attention has been directed towards its contextual relevance within the Caatinga's local communities. Consequently, this inaugural systematic review addresses the ethnobotanical roles of Myrtaceae within the Caatinga, meticulously anchored in the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. We searched Scopus, MEDLINE/Pubmed, Scielo, and LILIACS. No date‐range filter was applied. An initial pool of 203 articles was carefully scrutinized, ultimately yielding 31 pertinent ethnobotanical studies elucidating the utility of Myrtaceae amongst the Caatinga's indigenous populations. Collectively, they revealed seven distinct utilization categories spanning ~54 species and 11 genera. Psidium and Eugenia were the genera with the most applications. The most cited categories of use were food (27 species) and medicinal (22 species). The importance of accurate species identification was highlighted, as many studies did not provide enough information for reliable identification. Additionally, the potential contribution of Myrtaceae fruits to food security and human health was explored. The diversity of uses demonstrates how this family is a valuable resource for local communities, providing sources of food, medicine, energy, and construction materials. This systematic review also highlights the need for more ethnobotanical studies to understand fully the relevance of Myrtaceae species in the Caatinga, promoting biodiversity conservation, as well as support for local populations.
Plants, Medicinal, Myrtaceae, Ethnobotany, Humans, Biodiversity, Brazil
Plants, Medicinal, Myrtaceae, Ethnobotany, Humans, Biodiversity, Brazil
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 4 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Top 10% |
