ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to find which medicinal plants were used by family farmers from rural areas located in the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, and to characterize the habitat where they are cultivated. This research was conducted in 2011/2012, it included 43 farmers aged from 38 to 92 years of age, and it was grounded on the snowball method. A total of128 species belonging to 60 botanical families were found. Three cultivation areas are discussed, namely, backyard, grass field, and "capaÌo", a small forest fragment. Herbaceous and shrubby species were most commonly found in the backyard and grass field areas, while tree species were found in the "capaÌo". Medicinal plants were mostly located in areas that had been modified by farmers.
El objetivo de esta investigacioÌn fue identificar las plantas medicinales utilizadas por los agricultores familiares del aÌrea rural de Santa Catarina, sur de Brasil, y caracterizar el haÌbitat donde se cultivan. La evaluacioÌn se realizoÌ en 2011/2012 con 43 agricultores de 38 a 92 anÌos siguiendo la metodologiÌa de la bola de nieve. Se pudo identificar 128 especies pertenecientes a 60 familias botaÌnicas. Tres ambientes para el cultivo: quintas, pastizales y fragmentos forestales. En las quintas y pastizales predominan las especies herbaÌceas y arbustivas, mientras que las especies arboÌreas se localizaron en los fragmentos del bosque. Las plantas medicinales se encontraban principalmente en haÌbitats modificados por los agricultores.