ECOLOGIA, MORFOLOGIA E IMPORTÂNCIA CULTURAL DE CACTACEAE NO BRASIL: UM ESTUDO DE Cereus jamacaru DC. subsp. jamacaru

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.7692406061

• Palavras-chave: Cactaceae, Morfologia, Ecologia, Mandacaru, Medicina popular.

• Keywords: Cactaceae, Morphology, Ecology, Mandacaru, Folk medicine

• Abstract: The Cactaceae family, belonging to the order Caryophyllales, is a monophyletic family with around 1,400 species distributed across four subfamilies. These cacti, exclusive to the Americas, have great morphological diversity and are widely distributed, from Canada to Patagonia. In Brazil, 233 species are recorded, grouped into 37 genera, with emphasis on the Northeast region, especially Bahia. Morphologically, cacti exhibit different growth forms and adaptive characteristics, such as cladodes and spines, to survive in arid environments. A notable example is Cereus jamacaru, endemic to Brazil, known as "mandacaru", present throughout the Northeast. Its morphological and reproductive characteristics vary according to the habitat. This cactus plays a crucial role in ecology, serving as a habitat and food source for local fauna. Furthermore, it is used in folk medicine to treat a variety of diseases, although toxicity in humans has not yet been completely elucidated. Despite its cultural and ecological importance, the mandacaru faces human pressure due to its exploitation in agriculture and the degradation of its natural habitat.