Ethnobotany and Vernacular Names of the Lycophytes and Ferns of Tafea Province, Vanuatu

Ranker Tom A., Balick Michael J., Plunkett Gregory M., Harrison K. David, Wahe Jean-Pascal, Wahe Martial

Publisher

We conducted extensive fieldwork in the Tafea Province of Vanuatu from 2014 to 2021 as part of a long-term floristic study of plants and fungi as well as analyses of changes in forest structure and plant diversity in response to the category 5 cyclone Pam. As part of this work, we documented the vernacular names and/or uses of 10 species of lycophytes and 88 species of ferns. Vernacular plant names were documented in the languages endemic to the islands of Aneityum, Futuna, and Tanna, including Anejom, Futuna-Aniwa, Kwamara, Nafe, Naka, Netwar, Nahuai, and Whitesands. The uses reported by indigenous, Ni-Vanuatu, experts included: body decoration, cultural/spiritual, ornamental, clothing, food/food preparation, handicrafts, medicine, and fiber/construction.

Publisher: American Fern Journal

ISSN (Print): 00028444

Keywords

  • Aneityum
  • biodiversity
  • ethnobotany
  • ferns
  • Futuna
  • linguistic diversity
  • lycophytes
  • Tafea Province
  • Tanna
  • Vanuatu

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Plant Science

Publication year

2022

Fingerprint