The purpose of the present study was to carry out an ethnobotanyc survey in the municipality of Ingaí, Minas Gerais State, Brazil, to investigate the use of native vegetation resources by the local population. The survey was carried out, as a case study, in the urban and peripheral areas of Ingaí town. A sample of 17 inhabitants was interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. The interviews allowed the classification of the plant species into four categories of use: medicinal, firewood, wood (for buildings and furniture), and miscellaneous uses (handicraft, food, tools, et cetera). Data analyses were performed through qualitative and quantitative (indices the Shannon diversity - H'- and Pielou evenness - J') descriptions. The principal use concordance (PUC), the correction factor (CF), and the corrected principal use concordance (PUCc) were used to analysis the relative importance of the species indicated for medicinal use. Modes of use were ascribed to 144 collected and identified species, which were distributed into the following habits: trees, shrubs, herbs, and climbers. The trade of native species exists in Ingaí, mostly to meet the demand for wood and fence posts. The species with the highest relative importance, in terms of PUC and PUCc values, were Ilex cerasifolia Reisseck and Solanum lycocarpum A. St.-Hil, suggesting a high potential for pharmacological studies. The local population holds a detailed knowledge of the native vegetation and uses this knowledge as a basis for a diversified utilisation of the flora, most of which intended only to subsistence purposes.
ethnobotany; medicinal plants; firewood; wood specie
