Chorologie, écologie et ethnobotanique de certains Ficus L. (Moraceae) au Sénégal

• Main Authors: Diop, D., Mbaye, MS., Kane, A., Sambou, B., Noba, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux 2012-01-01
• Series: Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement
• Subjects: Ficus sp.; Moraceae; chorology; ecology; ethnobotanic; Senegal
• Online Access: http://www.pressesagro.be/base/text/v16n1/13.pdf

Chorology, ecology and ethnobotanical fig trees in Senegal. Ficus (Moraceae) is one of the most important genera of the tropical flora because of its high number of species. Among the ligneous plants, this genus is the most diversified within the Senegalese flora and accounts for more than 30 species. If the most known species are protected in various forms, the least known ones are frequently slashed to make place for cash crops. This study focused on distribution areas, ecology and uses of Ficus species in order to better valorise them. Interviews were carried out with local people and the results obtained were completed by literature research and information mentioned on herbarium sheets. The chorological and ecological study shows that all the species are African native plants and grow in various biotopes. In Senegal, they are mainly situated in the South with a Guinean and Soudano-Guinean climate. They are very frequent in the humid forests of the Casamance, the gallery forests and the humid valleys of Eastern Senegal. However, F. cordata, F. dicranostyla, F. glumosa, F. platyphylla and F. sycomorus are found in the hot and dry savanna of the Soudanean area, on rock, and lateritic sandy soils. This ethnobotanical study reports a wide range of uses for the Ficus species. Among the 19 native species used by the local populations, 7 type of use have been distinguished.