Fg. Coe et Gj. Anderson, Ethnobotany of the Sumu (Ulwa) of southeastern Nicaragua and comparisons with Miskitu plant lore, ECON BOTAN, 53(4), 1999, pp. 363-386
The Sumu (Ulwa) are one of three Amerindian groups of eastern Nicaragua. Th
eir uses of 225 species of plants in 174 genera and 72 families were docume
nted in two years of fieldwork. included are 187 medicinals, 69 food plants
, and 84 for other uses. Ulwa medicinals treat more than 25 human ailments,
and most (80%) are native to eastern Nicaragua. Over 70% of the medicinals
have a recognized bioactive principle, most are herbs (48%) or trees (33%)
. Leaves are the most frequently utilized plant part Most medicinals are pr
epared as decoctions and are administered orally. Almost half of Ulwa food
plants are domesticates, but only six are native to the New World tropics.
Comparison of plant use between the Ulwa and southern Miskitu indicated tha
t most of the species used for food (98%), medicinals (90%), and medicinal
applications (80%) are the same. The Miskitu use more species, have a wider
range of medicinal applications, and more unique plant uses than the Ulwa,
presumably due to their larger territory. Differences in ethnobotanical us
age between these groups seem to be more a reflection of scale than of remn
ants of cultural differences.