Boa Vista is located in the North of Amazonia, Brazil. The population of Boa Vista is heterogeneous, composed of Northeastern, Southern and Amazonian people. It has a strong tradition of using plants in popular medicine. This work aims to identify medicinal plants of popular use in Boa Vista, through information obtained from, horticulturists and participants in a medicinal plant course. The survey, made between January 1995 and April 1997, consisted of identifying plants and their use in popular medicine. Sixty families were identified of which genus and 105 by species name, were listed. Common vegetables, fruits, weed and cultivated crops were found among exotic and native medicinal plants. This combination of different species in the spectrum of medicinal plants of popular use in Boa Vista follows the diversity of habits and culture of people with different origins, with implications on the richness and potential use of popular knowledge in the cure of health problems.
Amazonia; popular medicine
