Pachira aquatica Aubl: conhecimento sobre usos, importância e inclusão na arborização urbana em Aurora- TO

Abstract

Pachira aquatica Aubl, also known as “monguba”, is a large tree found in tropical regions of Central America and part of South America, which is present in the afforestation in the municipality of Aurora do Tocantins. Since my childhood, I saw this species of tree spread throughout the city of Aurora and upon discovering that it was not native to the region, I became interested in researching it and learning a little more about its history. This text aims to present a bibliographical study on the botanical characteristics of this species, it is medicinal, ornamental and food importance, as well as an interview conducted with three older residents about how this species was planted in the city and popular knowledge about it. The research approach was qualitative and descriptive, and the results show that the species has local approval, as an ornamental, but knowledge about its medicinal and gastronomic applications are not part of the local culture.