Useful plants of the Los Tuxtlas rain forest (Veracruz, Mexico): considerations of their market potential

The 640 hectare large Los Tuxtlas rain forest reserve was analyzed for the commercial potential of its 860 native flowering plant species. Excluding plants with medicinal or chemical use, 91 species (10.6%) are found in the market, and we consider an additional 72 species (8.4%) to have market poten...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Economic botany Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 362 - 376
Main Authors:	Ibarra-Manriquez, G, Ricker, M, Angeles, G, Sinaca Colin, S, Sinaca Colin, M.A
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Heidelberg The New York Botanical Garden 01-10-1997 Bronx, NY Springer New York Botanical Garden Press Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:	ALIMENT POUR ANIMAUX ANALISIS ECONOMICO ANALYSE ECONOMIQUE Biological and medical sciences BOIS BOIS DE CHAUFFAGE BOSQUE HUMEDO BOSQUE TROPICAL HUMEDO Commercial forests CONTREPLAQUE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS Economic botany ECONOMIC EVALUATION Endemic species FEEDS Flowering Flowering plants Flowers Flowers & plants FODDER FOOD PLANTS Forage FOREST INVENTORIES Forestry Forests FORET HUMIDE FORET TROPICALE HUMIDE Fruits FUELWOOD Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology Generalities. Production, biomass. Quality of wood and forest products. General forest ecology Geographical distribution HOSTS HOTE HUESPEDES Indigenous species INVENTAIRE FORESTIER INVENTARIOS FORESTALES Land use LENA MADERA MARCHE Market potential MARKETS Medicinal plants MERCADOS MEXICO MEXIQUE ORNAMENTAL PLANTS PAPEL PAPIER Pasture PIENSOS Plant species PLANTAS ORNAMENTALES PLANTE ORNEMENTALE Plants Plants (botany) PLYWOOD Quality of wood and forest products Rain RAIN FORESTS Rainforests TABLEROS CONTRACHAPEADOS Timber Tropical forestry Tropical forests TROPICAL RAIN FORESTS Vernacular names WEAVING WOOD Central America Mexico America Forest product Volcanic soils Economic value Tropical zone Rain forest Nature reserve Tropical forest Floral survey
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Summary:	The 640 hectare large Los Tuxtlas rain forest reserve was analyzed for the commercial potential of its 860 native flowering plant species. Excluding plants with medicinal or chemical use, 91 species (10.6%) are found in the market, and we consider an additional 72 species (8.4%) to have market potential. For each of the 163 species, the following information is given: scientific and common name, geographic distribution, growth form, use, and market status. Of the 163 species, 2.4% are endemic to the Los Tuxtlas region, 10.4% are restricted to Mexico, 42.3% extend further into Central America, and 39.3% occur also in South America, while 20.2% are found in the West Indies. The majority of species (68.7%) are trees. In terms of use categories, 35.0% are employed for their timber, 32.5% for their fuelwood, 24.5% for ornamental purposes, 22.7% for their edible fruits, leaves or flowers, 11.0% for plywood or paper, 6.1% for artwork and weaving, and 1.2% as fodder plants. The more than 160 marketable species would make it possible to develop species-diverse forests of high commercial value, as an alternative to current land use, which consists in converting forest into cattle pastures. /// Se analizó el potencial comercial de las 860 especies de angiospermas nativas a la reserva de Los Tuxtlas (640 hectáreas). Omitiendo las plantas con uso medicinal o químico, 91 especies (10.6%) se encontraron en el mercado, a las cuales se pueden añadir 72 especies (8.4%) con potencial para la comercialización. Para cada una de las 163 especies se proporciona el nombre científico y común, distribución geográfica, forma de crecimiento, uso y situación en el mercado. La distribución geográfica natural de las 163 especies indica que el 2.4% son endémicas en la región de Los Tuxtlas, 10.4% se restringen a México, 42.3% se extienden hasta América Central, y el 39.3% se distribuyen hasta Sudamérica, mientras el 20.2% se encuentran en las Antillas. La mayoría de las especies son árboles (68.7%). En cuanto a sus categorías de uso, el 35.0% se utilizan por su madera, 32.5% por su leña, 24.5% son ornamentales, el 22.7% se usan por sus frutos, hojas o flores comestibles, el 11.0% para triplay o papel, el 6.1% en artesanía o cestería y el 1.2% como plantas forrajeras. El conjunto de las más de 160 especies de interés comercial permitiría desarrollar bosques diversos en especies y con un alto valor comercial, lo que es una alternativa promisoria al uso actual del terreno, el cual consiste en la transformación de la selva en pastizales para ganado.
Bibliography:	1997061480 F70 K50 1999000005
ISSN:	0013-0001 1874-9364
DOI:	10.1007/BF02861046