The importance of home gardens for the conservation of knowledge and practices about medicinal plants in an Environmental Protection Area in the Atlantic Forest of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Palmares Environmental Protection Area covers almost 90% of Paty do Alferes Atlantic Forest with great biodiversity. This work aimed to research about the knowledge local specialists have medicinal plants in order describe relationship between home gardens and conservation biodiversity knowledge. 107 ethnospecies were reported belonging 37 botanical families, Asteraceae most abundant a majority ofnative species. highest RCF species Plectranthus barbatusand RI was obtained for Plantago australis/P. guilleminiana. Plants cited mainly treatment illness related digestive system FIC theuse eye diseases. Local experts low complexity health problems. Home gardens, as main collection site, contribute minimizing anthropic pressure extractivism, which favours sustainable within APA, at least regarding plants.