ABSTRACT
Cenostigma pyramidale is highly explored for non-medicinal purposes including animal feeding, recovery of degraded areas, ecological and cultural potential, among others. C. pyramidale is generally a medium-sized tree that can reach 4–6 m in height, sometimes reaching up to 12 m and greater heights in favorable conditions. The vast majority of studies on catingueira’s ethnomedicinal properties are represented by literature in Portuguese that is inaccessible in scientific databases. The use of C. pyramidale by the human population very likely precedes the European colonization, possibly because it is one of the most widely dispersed plant species in the Caatinga, vegetating in both wetlands and semiarid. Ethnobotanical reports indicate that all C. pyramidale tissues have been used in folk medicine. The chapter addresses different aspects of this important biological resource, including its taxonomy, distribution, diversity, uses by human populations, evaluation of compounds and effects, as well as associated genetic and genomic resources.
