Estudio etnobotánico de joyapa (Macleania rupestris) en las provincias de Azuay y Cañar

Abstract

This ethnobotanical study was carried out with the aim of gathering information on the current state of local knowledge about the use and advantage of Macleania rupestris known as ¨Joyapa¨, currently, this plant is found in the wild, in the Ecuadorian Highlands; It is used as a renovating plant in burnt areas, it is also used as a medicinal plant and it serves as food for both human being and some animal species, its flowers provide a source of nectar supply used by birds, such as hummingbird and its fruits are a delight or Andean bears. M. rupestris ethnobotanical information was collected through interviews in which it was possible to know the perceptions of 4 localities inhabitants of Azuay and Cañar provinces as well as students and teachers of gastronomic centers, 218 interviews were applied in total that allowed to obtain descriptive results of the importance of this specie for the feeding and conservation of the environment and conversely the needing of developing productive systems in this species for the provision of fruits, since in gastronomic centers there is interest about using it to create new dishes and take advantage of its nutritional benefits in the development of functional food that add value to food, since the ¨joyapa¨ is known for its antioxidants high content.