Ethnobotany of toxic plants in the district of Vicente López (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to carry out a first survey on the ethnobotany of toxic plants in Vicente López district (Buenos Aires, Argentina). The study was performed with adult men and women who live and/or work in the study area. Information and materials were gathered through visits to the surroundings, and open and semistructured interviews. A total of 42 species were considered toxic by the interviewees; their parts produce various effects of different severity. Consensus about their toxicity was generally low and the vernacular concept of toxic was not univocal; people use different criteria to classify a plant as toxic. Attitudes in relation to toxic plants also vary. The results agree with the predictions for urban botanical knowledge. The position of those who make a conscious management of these species, based on their knowledge and the particularities of the context, is the desirable one in order to simultaneously preserve human health and flora. This work provides a basis for understanding local representations and perceptions on the topic, from which educational programs can be designed, and contributes to ethnobotany and related disciplines.