Richness and ethnobotany of palms in kraho indigenous territory, Tocantins, Brazil

Este trabalho objetiva caracterizar a comunidade de palmeiras e seu potencial de utilização em doze aldeias no território Krahô, um grande remanescente de cerrado, localizado no nordeste do estado do Tocantins, Brasil. Foram percorridas as principais fitofisionomias presentes cada uma das doze aldeias e registradas as espécies presentes e o potencial de utilização dessas espécies pela comunidade (alimentação, construção, medicinal, ritual, artesanato e utensílios domésticos). A riqueza de palmeiras nativas nas aldeias está representada por um total de 17 espécies e 10 gêneros, com destaque para os gêneros Attalea (quatro espécies), Syagrus (três espécies) e Astrocaryum (três espécies). A maior parte das espécies é utilizada para alimentação e construções diversas, com quase a totalidade das espécies apresentando mais de um tipo de uso. As palmeiras nativas representam um recurso vegetal imprescindível para a manutenção da qualidade de vida e dos diferentes costumes associados a esse grupo de plantas. As práticas de manejo e de conservação devem ser analisadas em um contexto etnobiológico, buscando a manutenção desse conhecimento tradicional, que está sendo perdido, para as gerações futuras. Palavras-chave:  Cerrado; potencial de utilização; produtos não-madeiráveis; conservação da biodiversidade.   Abstract Richness and ethnobotany of palms in kraho indigenous territory, Tocantins, Brazil. This paper describes palms community and its potential of use in twelve villages in the Kraho territory, a large fragment of cerrado, located at the north-eastern of the State of Tocantins, Brazil. The main phytophysiognomy had been covered each one of the twelve villages and registered the species found and the potential of use of species for the community (feeding, constructions, medicinal, ritual, handicraft and domestic utensils). The native palms richness in the villages is represented by a total of 17 species and ten genera manly for Attalea (four species) Syagrus (three species) and Astrocaryum (three species) genera. Most of the species is used for feeding and diverse constructions, with almost the totality of the species presenting more than one type of use. The native palms represent an essential vegetal resource for the maintenance of the quality of life and the different customs associates to this group of plants. Practice of management and the conservation must be analyzed in an ethnobiologic context, searching maintenance of this traditional knowledge that is being lost for the future generations. Keywords: Cerrado; potential of use; non-timber products; biodiversity conservation.  This paper describes palms community and its potential of use in twelve villages in the Kraho territory, a large fragment of cerrado, located at the north-eastern of the State of Tocantins, Brazil. The main phytophysiognomy had been covered each one of the twelve villages and registered the species found and the potential of use of species for the community (feeding, constructions, medicinal, ritual, handicraft and domestic utensils). The native palms richness in the villages is represented by a total of 17 species and ten genera manly for Attalea (four species) Syagrus (three species) and Astrocaryum (three species) genera. Most of the species is used for feeding and diverse constructions, with almost the totality of the species presenting more than one type of use. The native palms represent an essential vegetal resource for the maintenance of the quality of life and the different customs associates to this group of plants. Practice of management and the conservation must be analyzed in an ethnobiologic context, searching maintenance of this traditional knowledge that is being lost for the future generations