ETNOBOTÁNICA MÉDICA DE GRUPOS CRIOLLOS DE ARGENTINA: RECONOCIMIENTO, ANÁLISIS Y PUESTA EN VALOR DE LOS DATOS PRESENTADOS POR EL GOBIERNO ARGENTINO EN LA EXPOSICIÓN UNIVERSAL DE PARÍS DE 1889

A significant amount of data on argentinian medical ethnobotany found in a catalogue about materials and information presented at the Universal Exposition of Paris of 1889 by Argentine government, is rec¬ognized, put in value, and analyzed here. Through characterization, detailed description and analysis of the information, a total of 758 ethnobotany data corresponding to 243 botanical entities were identified; 710 of which were validated and updated regarding their scientific plant names and distribution, and pharmacological terminology. Such data were referred to 11 Argentine provinces, and corresponded to Criollos human groups of five biocultural complexes. Data analysis shows that they are grouped into 20 categories of medicinal uses, being the most relevant those related to digestive system (19.6%), and to a lesser extent as vulneraries, and for the reproductive and respiratory systems. A total of 146 kinds of medicinal uses were identified. Some aspects relating to their biocultural linkages, rare historical uses, and the original condition of its contribution to criollos’ ethnobotany of Argentina, are discussed here.