Chapada Diamond National Park:

Ethnobotany of Blessing and Plant Healing

Abstract

This research sought to identify the botanical species used in blessing rituals in the cities of Andaraí, Lençóis and Mucugê, aiming to find out whether there is a standard of ethnobotanical knowledge and practices. Data collection was carried out through triangulation (direct observation, informal conversations, semi-structured and open interviews, guided tour, life story, “snowball” or Snow Ball), interviews were carried out with 28 blessing practitioners During the period from april 2022 to july 2023, ethical and legal aspects were applied. 40 ethnospecies were reported, distributed in 29 genera and 31 species, with two identified to genus. In nine (n=9) ethnospecies it was not possible to make botanical identification due to the absence of botanical material. Lamiaceae, Fabaceaea and Solanaceae were the most representative families. Arruda (Ruta graveolens) was the species that presented the highest Consensus of Use value with UCs of 1.555, followed by Pinhão-roxo (Jatropha gossypiifolia) with 1.037, also being the most cited. Most species are exotic (cultivated and naturalized) and come from your own backyard. Eight (n=8) ethnospecies were recorded isochronically in the three municipalities. All species mentioned in Mucugê were also recorded in Andaraí, a fact exemplified by the Theory of Neutrality, since the cities are geographically closer, sharing greater similarity. Botanical specifications were highlighted, ranging from the number of branches, combinations of species, the position in which the branches were removed from the plant and the time of collection of the plants. Therefore, the ethnobotanical knowledge present in this practice is undeniable, forming part of Brazil's cultural wealth.