Ecological data in support of an analysis of Guinea-Bissau׳s medicinal flora.

This dataset presents an annotated list of medicinal plants used by local communities in Guinea-Bissau (West Africa), in a total of 218 species. Data was gathered by means of herbarium and bibliographic research, as well as fieldwork. Biological and ecological information is provided for each species, including in-country distribution, geographical range, growth form and main vegetation types. The dataset was used to prepare a paper on the medicinal plants of Guinea-Bissau "Medicinal plants of Guinea-Bissau: therapeutic applications, ethnic diversity and knowledge transfer" (Catarino et al., 2016) [1]. The table and figures provide a unique database for Guinea-Bissau in support of ethno-medical and ethno-pharmacological research, and their ecological dimensions.

Specifications Table

Value of the data

This dataset is the first comprehensive record of Guinea-Bissau׳s medicinal flora totalling 218 plant species.

It includes information on the growth form, vegetation types, in-country distribution, distribution range, plant parts used, and other uses of species besides medicinal.

Species were recorded for remote and hitherto under-researched areas.

This dataset can be used as primary source guide for the biological and ecological contexts of ethno-medical research in Guinea-Bissau and West Africa.

Data

The comprehensive list of plant species used in traditional medicine in Guinea-Bissau is presented in Table 1, focuses on biological and ecological aspects of the original dataset. It identifies medicinal and non-medicinal uses of recorded species, as well as the plant parts used, growth form, main vegetation types and geographical distribution. The dataset was specially prepared for a recent study (see [1]), based upon information gathered during fieldwork performed in the country, from 1990s to the present, by the authors, complemented with data from herbarium vouchers (LISC Herbarium, University of Lisbon) as well as from published sources. Samples were collected in various geo-morphological areas covering a wide range of vegetation types in Guinea Bissau, inhabited by more than thirty ethnic groups.

Table 1

Ecological data related with the Guinea-Bissau׳s medicinal flora, with references to other uses of species.

Species	Family	Growth form	Habitat types	Distribution Guinea-Bissau	Distribution range	Plant parts used in traditional medicine	Other uses of medicinal plants	Herbarium voucher
Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench.	Malvaceae	Herb	Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to Asia	Seeds	Food	Moreira 284
Abrus precatorius L. subsp. africanus Verdc.	Fabaceae	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, Bijagós	Pantropical	Aerial parts of plant		Indjai 17
Acacia macrostachya Rchb. ex DC.	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Sudanian Region	Roots		Catarino 1269
Acridocarpus plagiopterus Guill. & Perr.	Malpighiaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves	Phytochemical	Diniz & Gonçalves 1861
Acridocarpus smeathmannii (DC.) Guill. & Perr.	Malpighiaceae	Shrub	Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest	North	Guineo-Congolian Region	Leaves		Diniz & Gonçalves 1863
Adansonia digitata L.	Malvaceae	Tree	Savanna Woodland, Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves	Food	Sané 74
Adenia lobata (Jacq.) Engl.	Passifloraceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Roots, Sap		Catarino 1664
Afraegle paniculata (Schumach. & Thonn.) Engl.	Rutaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Guineo-Congolian Region	Roots		Diniz & Gonçalves 1880
Aframomum alboviolaceum (Ridl.) K.Schum.	Zingiberaceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	South	Afrotropical	Roots	Food	Catarino 1385
Aframomum rostratum K.Schum.	Zingiberaceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South	Guinean Sub-Region	Roots	Food	Martins et al. 622
Afzelia africana Sm. ex Pers.	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Bark	Timber, Handicrafts	Catarino 495
Agelaea pentagyna (Lam.) Baill.	Connaraceae	Shrub	Forest, Gallery Forest	South	Afrotropical	Leaves		Catarino 1684
Albizia adianthifolia (Schum.) W.Wight	Fabaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves		Catarino 1562
Alchornea cordifolia (Schumach. & Thonn.) Müll.Arg.	Euphorbiaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Plam Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Stem, Seeds	Phytochemical	Catarino 1549
Allophylus africanus P.Beauv.	Sapindaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest, Wet Grass Savanna	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves		Indjai 26
Alstonia boonei De Wild.	Apocynaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Sap	Timber, Handicrafts	Catarino 738
Alstonia congensis Engl.	Apocynaceae	Tree	Forest, Gallery Forest	South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Bark, Roots	Timber, Handicrafts	Catarino 1513A
Ampelocissus multistriata (Baker) Planch.	Vitaceae	Climber	Savanna Woodland	North, South, Bijagós	Sudanian/Zambezian Regions	Leaves		Martins & Moreira 998
Anacardium occidentale L.	Anacardiaceae	Tree	Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to America	Leaves, Bark	Food, Beverages	Catarino 1922
Anisophyllea laurina R.Br. ex Sabine	Anisophylleaceae	Tree	Forest	South, Bijagós	Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves	Food	Catarino 1698
Annona glabra L.	Annonaceae	Shrub	Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to America	Roots	Food	Moreira 38
Annona muricata L.	Annonaceae	Tree	Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to America	Leaves	Food	Diniz et al. 2595
Annona senegalensis Pers.	Annonaceae	Shrub	Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots, Leaves, Flowers	Food	Catarino 1352
Antherotoma senegambiensis (Guill. & Perr.) Jacq.-Fél.	Melastomataceae	Herb	Woodland, Palm Grove, Wet Grass Savanna	North, South, East	Forest	Roots		Martins & Catarino 1258
Anthocleista djalonensis A.Chev.	Gentianaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Bark		Catarino 1717
Anthocleista nobilis G.Don	Gentianaceae	Tree	Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Sap, Bark		Diniz et al. 1014
Anthostema senegalense A.Juss.	Euphorbiaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Plam Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Sap, Leaves	Phytochemical	Catarino 1553
Argemone mexicana L.	Papaveraceae	Herb	Ruderal	North, South, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to America	Leaves		Raimundo & Guerra 913
Artabotrys velutinus Scott-Elliot	Annonaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves		Catarino 1085
Asystasia gangetica (L.) T.Anderson	Acanthaceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Paleotropical	Flowers, Stem		Diniz et al. 2337
Azadirachta indica A.Juss.	Meliaceae	Tree	Cultivated	North	Introduced, Native To India	Leaves		Bancessi 17
Bauhinia thonningii Schum. (Syn. Piliostigma thonningii (Schumach. & Thonn.) Milne-Readh.)	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots, Bark	Handicrafts	Indjai 21
Blighia sapida K.D.Koenig	Sapindaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Leaves	Food	Diniz & Gonçalves 1946
Blighia unijugata Baker	Sapindaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Gallery Forest	South	Afrotropical	Leaves	Food, Handicrafts	Diniz & Gonçalves 1845
Blutaparon vermiculare (L.) Mears	Amaranthaceae	Herb	Mangrove, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Amphi-Atlantic	Whole plant		Catarino 650
Borassus aethiopum Mart.	Arecaceae	Palm	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Seeds, Roots	Food, Timber, Handicrafts	Pereira 1058
Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill.	Phyllanthaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots, Leaves	Food, Phytochemical	Indjai 20
Caesalpinia benthamiana (Baill.) Herend. & Zarucchi (Syn. Mezoneuron benthamianum Baill.)	Fabaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Sap, Roots, Leaves		Catarino 1526
Calotropis procera (Aiton) Dryand.	Apocynaceae	Shrub	Savanna Woodland, Ruderal	North, South, East	Paleotropical	Roots		Diniz et al. 658
Calycobolus heudelotii (Baker ex Oliv.) Heine	Convolvulaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East	Guineo-Congolian Region	Stem, Leaves		Catarino 1713
Calyptrochilum christyanum (Rchb. f.) Summerh.	Orchidaceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Whole plant		Indjai 35
Capparis erythrocarpos Isert	Capparaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots		Indjai 12
Capsicum annuum L. (Syn. C. frutescens L.)	Solanaceae	Herb	Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to America	Aerial parts of plant	Food	Moreira 62
Carapa procera DC.	Meliaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afro-Neotropical	Seeds		Catarino 1566
Carica papaya L.	Caricaceae	Tree	Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to America	Leaves, Roots	Food, Phytochemical	Moreira 22
Cassia sieberiana DC.	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian Region	Rz, Fo		Catarino 818
Cassytha filiformis L.	Lauraceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, Bijagós	Pantropical	Whole plant		Indjai 10
Cayratia gracilis (Guill. & Perr.) Suess.	Vitaceae	Herb	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Sap	Phytochemical	Vidigal et al. 151
Ceiba pentandra (L.) Gaertn.	Malvaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, Bijagós	Pantropical	Bark	Timber	Catarino 1710
Celosia argentea L.	Amaranthaceae	Herb	Ruderal	South, East	Afrotropical	Branches	Food	Vidigal et al. 47
Chamaecrista absus (L.) H.S.Irwin & Barneby	Fabaceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Wet Grass Savanna, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Paleotropical	Whole plant		Diniz & Pinto-Basto 2404
Chamaecrista nigricans (Vahl) Greene	Fabaceae	Herb	Savanna Woodland	North, East	Paleotropical	Whole plant	Phytochemical	Catarino 1215
Chrozophora senegalensis (Lam.) A.Juss. ex Spreng.	Euphorbiaceae	Herb	Savanna Woodland	North	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Whole plant, Fruits		Catarino 928
Cissampelos mucronata A.Rich.	Menispermaceae	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Wet Grass Savanna	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots, Leaves, Stem		Indjai 11
Cissus aralioides (Welw. ex Baker) Planch.	Vitaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Wet Grass Savanna	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves		Catarino 1413
Cissus rufescens Guill. & Perr.	Vitaceae	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Wet Grass Savanna	South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Leaves		Catarino 514
Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck	Rutaceae	Tree	Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to Asia	Roots, Leaves	Food	Moreira 67
Clerodendrum splendens G.Don	Lamiaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Roots		Catarino 1483
Clerodendrum umbellatum Poir.	Lamiaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland	South	Guineo-Congolian/Sudano-Zambezian Regions	Roots, Leaves		Diniz et al. 2572
Cnestis ferruginea Vahl ex DC.	Connaraceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Roots, Leaves, Fruits, Branches	Phytochemical	Indjai 24
Cochlospermum tinctorium Perrier ex A.Rich.	Bixaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Roots	Phytochemical	Catarino 1180
Cola cordifolia (Cav.) R.Br.	Malvaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Galery Forest	North, South, East	Sudanian Region	Seeds, Stem	Food, Handicrafts	Catarino 1431
Cola nitida (Vent.) Schott & Endl.	Malvaceae	Tree	Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guinean Sub-Region	Seeds	Food	Moreira 72
Combretum adenogonium Steud. ex A.Rich.	Combretaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Afrotropical	Bark		Catarino 1737
Combretum collinum Fresen.	Combretaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Afrotropical	Roots		Catarino 1453
Combretum lecardii Engl. & Diels	Combretaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, East	Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves		Catarino 582
Combretum micranthum G.Don	Combretaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Roots, Leaves	Beverages	Indjai 08
Combretum nigricans Lepr. ex Guill. & Perr.	Combretaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian Region	Leaves		Catarino 1508
Conocarpus erectus L.	Combretaceae	Shrub	Mangrove	North, South, Bijagós	Afro-Neotropical	Leaves		Catarino 326
Cordyla pinnata (Lepr. ex A.Rich.) Milne-Redh.	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Sudanian Region	Bark	Food	Catarino 1741
Craterispermum laurinum (Poir.) Benth.	Rubiaceae	Shrub	Forest, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South	Afrotropical	Bark		Catarino 1719
Crossopteryx febrifuga (Afzel. ex G.Don) Benth.	Rubiaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Afrotropical	Leaves		Catarino 1725
Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Lindl.) Schltr.	Apocynaceae	Climber	Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Roots		Diniz et al. 995
Curculigo pilosa (Schumach. & Thonn.) Engl.	Hypoxidaceae	Herb	Woodland	North, South, East	Afrotropical	Roots		Pinto-Basto et al. 103
Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf	Poaceae	Herb	Cultivated, Ruderal	North	Introduced, Native to India	Aerial parts of plant		Moreira 216
Dalbergia boehmii Taub.	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Zambezian Regions	Leaves		Catarino 1452
Dalbergia saxatilis Hook. f.	Fabaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Leaves		Catarino 1636
Daniellia oliveri (Rolfe) Hutch. & Dalziel	Fabaceae	Tree	Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Leaves	Handicrafts, Phytochemical	Gomes & Correia 2
Desmodium velutinum (Willd.) DC.	Fabaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Paleotropical	Leaves, Roots		Catarino 1165
Detarium microcarpum Guill. & Perr.	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian Region	Bark		Catarino 1724
Dialium guineense Willd.	Fabaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Fruits, Leaves, Bark	Food	Diniz et al. 2531
Dichrostachys cinerea subsp. platycarpa (Welw. ex W.Bull) Brenan & Brummitt	Fabaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Zambezian Regions	Bark		Catarino 1620
Dicranolepis disticha Planch.	Thymelaeaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland	South	Guineo-Congolian Region	Roots		Moreira 97
Dioscorea hirtiflora Benth.	Dioscoreaceae	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots	Food	Catarino & Djalo 250
Diospyros heudelotii Hiern	Ebenaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guinean Sub-Region	Bark		Catarino 1734
Elaeis guineensis Jacq.	Arecaceae	Palm	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Roots	Food, Timber, Handicrafts	Diniz et al. 1031
Eleocharis mutata (L.) Roem. & Schult.	Cyperaceae	Herb	Gallery Forest, Wet Grass Savanna	North, South, East, Bijagós	Amphi-Atlantic	Ca, Seeds		Vidigal et al. 96
Entada africana Guill. & Perr.	Fabaceae	Shrub	Savanna Woodland	South, East	Sudanian/Zambezian Regions	Roots, Bark		Catarino 1378
Erythrina senegalensis DC.	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian Region	Bark, Roots	Handicrafts	Indjai 04
Erythrina sigmoidea Hua	Fabaceae	Tree	Savanna Woodland	East	Sudanian Region	Roots		Catarino 1389
Faidherbia albida (Delile) A. Chev.	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, East, Bijagós	Paleotropical	Bark		Indjai 23
Ficus exasperata Vahl	Moraceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, Bijagós	Paleotropical	Bark, Leaves		Indjai 14
Ficus lutea Vahl	Moraceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, Bijagós	Afrotropical	–	Phytochemical, Rituals and beliefs	Catarino 1654
Ficus polita Vahl	Moraceae	Tree	Forest, Palm Grove	North, South, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves, Bark		Indjai 01
Ficus sur Forssk.	Moraceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots, Bark, Fruits	Food	Catarino 1574
Fleroya stipulosa (DC.) Y.F.Deng (Syn. Hallea stipulosa (DC.) Leroy)	Rubiaceae	Tree	Gallery Forest	North, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Bark		Espírito Santo 426
Funtumia africana (Benth.) Stapf	Apocynaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South	Afrotropical	Roots		Diniz et al. 2557
Gardenia ternifolia subsp. jovis-tonantis (Welw.) Verdc.	Rubiaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Sudanian/Zambezian Regions	Roots		Catarino 1373
Guiera senegalensis J.F.Gmel.	Combretaceae	Shrub	Savanna Woodland, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sahelian/Sudanian Regions	Leaves, Roots		Catarino 1926
Gymnanthemum coloratum (Willd.) H.Rob. & B.Kahn (Syn. Vernonia colorata (Willd.) Drake)	Asteraceae	Shrub	Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots, Leaves		Diniz & Gonçalves 1847
Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.) R.Br. ex Sm.	Apocynaceae	Climber	Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Bark		Catarino 1347
Gymnosporia senegalensis (Lam.) Loes. (Syn. Maytenus senegalensis (Lam.) Exell)	Celastraceae	Shrub	Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest, Wet Grass Savanna	North, East	Sudanian/Zambezian Regions	Leaves		Saneé 19
Harungana madagascariensis Lam. ex Poir.	Hypericaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves		Catarino 1542
Hibiscus sterculiifolius (Guill. & Perr.) Steud.	Malvaceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves	Handicrafts	Catarino 1649
Holarrhena floribunda (G.Don) T. Durand & Schinz	Apocynaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Leaves, Bark	Handicrafts	Catarino 1706
Hymenocardia acida Tul.	Phyllanthaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Bark, Leaves		Indjai 32
Hypoestes forsskaolii (Vahl) R.Br.	Acanthaceae	Herb	Savanna Woodland, Ruderal	North	Afrotropical	Roots		Diniz & Gonçalves 1820
Hyptis spicigera Lam.	Lamiaceae	Herb	Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest, Palm Grove, Ruderal	North, South, East	Introduced, Native to America	Leaves		Catarino 1193
Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit.	Lamiaceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest, Palm Grove, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to America	Aerial parts of plant	Phytochemical	Diniz & Catarino 1698
Icacina oliviformis (Poir.) J.Raynal	Icacinaceae	Shrub	Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Roots	Food	Diniz & Gonçalves 1923
Indigofera arrecta Hochst. ex A.Rich.	Fabaceae	Herb	Cultivated, Ruderal	North, East,	Paleotropical	Aerial parts of plant	Phytochemical	Espírito Santo 2304
Indigofera macrophylla Schumach. & Thonn.	Fabaceae	Herb	Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Roots		Catarino 824
Indigofera suffruticosa Mill.	Fabaceae	Shrub	Cultivated	North	Introduced, Native to America	Aerial parts of plant	Phytochemical	Espírito Santo 2278
Ipomoea asarifolia (Desr.) Roem. & Schult.	Convolvulaceae	Herb	Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, Bijagós	Pantropical	Leaves		Catarino 770
Jatropha curcas L.	Euphorbiaceae	Shrub	Cultivated	South, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to America	Roots, Seeds		Vidigal et al. 191
Jatropha gossypiifolia L.	Euphorbiaceae	Shrub	Cultivated	South	Introduced, Native to America	Sap		Moreira 206
Kalanchoe crenata (Andrews) Haw.	Crassulaceae	Herb	Ruderal	South	Paleotropical	Sap		Moreira 242
Khaya senegalensis (Desv.) A.Juss.	Meliaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Bark	Timber	Indjai 22
Landolphia dulcis (R.Br. ex Sabine) Pichon	Apocynaceae	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Roots	Food, Phytochemical	Indjai 25
Landolphia heudelotii A.DC.	Apocynaceae	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves, Bark, Branches	Food, Phytochemical	Catarino 1594
Lannea acida A.Rich.	Anacardiaceae	Tree	Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian Region	Bark	Food, Phytochemical	Catarino 2130
Lecaniodiscus cupanioides Planch. ex Benth.	Sapindaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South	Guineo-Congolian Region	Roots	Food	Catarino 1665
Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R.Br.	Lamiaceae	Herb	Savanna Woodland, Ruderal	North, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Aerial parts of plant		Diniz & Gonçalves 1872
Lepisanthes senegalensis (Poir.) Leenh. (Syn. Aphania senegalensis (A.Juss. ex Poir.) Radlk.)	Sapindaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Leaves	Food	Catarino 1715
Leptadenia lancifolia (Schumach. & Thonn.) Decne. (Syn. L. hastata (Pers.) Vatke)	Apocynaceae	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Stem, Branches, Leaves		Indjai 34
Leptoderris brachyptera (Benth.) Dunn	Fabaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Leaves		Catarino 1109
Lippia chevalieri Moldenke	Verbenaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Sudanian Region	Roots		Catarino 1387
Lonchocarpus sericeus (Poir.) KunthDC.	Fabaceae	Tree	Gallery Forest, Mangrove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afro-Neotropical	Bark		Catarino 740
Luffa cylindrica (L.) M.Roem.	Cucurbitaceae	Herb	Cultivated, Also Ruderal	North, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to Asia	Leaves		Catarino 1367
Maerua duchesnei (De Wild.) F.White	Capparaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Gallery Forest	South	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Leaves		Catarino 1588
Mangifera indica L.	Anacardiaceae	Tree	Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to Asia	Roots, Leaves, Bark	Food	Diniz & Gonçalves 1939
Margaritaria discoidea (Baill.) G.L.Webster	Phyllanthaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves, Bark		Indjai 27
Mitragyna innermis (Willd.) Kuntze	Rubiaceae	Tree	Gallery Forest, Wet Grass Savanna	North, South, East	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Leaves		Catarino 1426
Momordica cissoides Planch. ex Benth.	Cucurbitaceae	Herb	Forest, Gallery Forest	North, South, East	Afrotropical	Sap		Moreira 61
Monodora myristica (Gaertn.) Dunal	Annonaceae	Tree	Forest, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Seeds		Espírito Santo 2331
Morinda chrysorhiza (Thonn.) DC. (Syn. M. geminata DC.)	Rubiaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Leaves, Branches	Phytochemical	Catarino 1534
Moringa oleifera Lam.	Moringaceae	Tree	Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to India	Leaves	Food	Vidigal et al. 198
Neocarya macrophylla (Sabine) Prance ex F.White	Chrysobalanaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian Region	Leaves, Fruits, Bark	Food	Diniz & Gonçalves 1778
Newbouldia laevis (P.Beauv.) Seem.	Bignoniaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Roots, Leaves		Indjai 03
Ocimum basilicum L.	Lamiaceae	Herb	Savanna Woodland, Ruderal	North, East, Bijagós	Pantropical	Aerial parts of plant	Phytochemical	Indjai 36
Ocimum gratissimum L.	Lamiaceae	Shrub	Palm Grove, Ruderal	North, South, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to Asia	Aerial parts of plant	Beverages	Indjai 37
Opilia amentacea Roxb.	Opiliaceae	Climber	Savanna Woodland	South, East	Afrotropical	Roots, Leaves	Rituals and beliefs	Espirito Santo 2352
Ozoroa insignis Delile	Anacardiaceae	Tree	Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots		Catarino 513
Parinari excelsa Sabine	Chrysobalanaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afro-Neotropical	Bark	Food, Timber	Catarino 1705
Parkia biglobosa (Jacq.) G.Don	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afro-Neotropical	Bark	Food	Diniz & Gonçalves 1790
Paulinia pinnata L.	Sapindaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afro-Neotropical	Stem, Leaves		Catarino 503
Pavetta corymbosa (DC.) F.N.Williams	Rubiaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves		Catarino 1619
Pavetta oblongifolia (Hiern) Bremek.	Rubiaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Sudanian Region	Branches, Leaves		Catarino 1437
Pericopsis laxiflora (Benth. ex Baker) Meeuwen	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Sudanian Region	Bark	Handicrafts	Catarino 1736A
Phoenix reclinata Jacq.	Arecaceae	Palm	Gallery Forest, Mangrove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots	Food, Handicrafts	Martins & Catarino 1404
Phyllanthus muellerianus (Kuntze) Exell	Phyllanthaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves		Catarino 1615
Piper guineense Schumach. & Thonn.	Piperaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Gallery Forest	South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Fruits		Diniz & Gonçalves 2083
Platostoma africanum P.Beauv.	Lamiaceae	Herb	Savanna Woodland, Ruderal	South, East	Paleotropical	Aerial parts of plant	Food	Gonçalves et al. 90
Pouchetia africana A.Rich. ex DC.	Rubiaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves		Catarino 1632
Pouteria alnifolia (Baker) Roberty (Syn. Malacantha alnifolia (Baker) Pierre)	Sapotaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots		Catarino 1721
Premna hispida Benth.	Lamiaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Wet Grass Savanna	North, South	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves		Catarino 1100
Prosopis africana (Guill. & Perr.) Taub.	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Leaves, Bark, Roots	Timber	Catarino 1070
Psorospermum corymbiferum Hochr.	Hypericaceae	Shrub	Woodland	South, East	Guineo-Congolian/Sudano-Zambezian Regions	Leaves		Espirito Santo 533
Psorospermum glaberrimum Hochr.	Hypericaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	South, East	Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves	Beverages	Moreira 124
Psychotria peduncularis (Salisb.) Steyerm.	Rubiaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves, Roots		Indjai 07
Psydrax parviflora (Afzel.) Bridson	Rubiaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Gallery Forest	South	Afrotropical	Leaves, Bark		Martins & Catarino 1181
Pterocarpus erinaceus Lam. ex Poir.	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Sudanian Region	Bark	Timber	Catarino 1691
Pterocarpus santalinoides L׳Hér. ex DC.	Fabaceae	Tree	Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afro-Neotropical	Roots	Food	Catarino 1692
Quassia undulata (Guill. & Perr.) D.Dietr. (Syn. Hannoa undulata (Guill. & Perr.) Planch.)	Simaroubaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Regions	Leaves	Rituals and beliefs	Catarino 1440
Rauvolfia vomitoria Afzel.	Apocynaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves, Roots, Stem		Catarino 1690
Ricinus communis L.	Euphorbiaceae	Herb	Cultivated	North, East, Bijagós	Paleotropical	Seeds		Diniz & Gonçalves 1915A
Ritchiea capparoides (Andrews) Britten	Capparaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots		Catarino 601
Saba senegalensis (A.DC.) Pichon	Apocynaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves	Food, Rituals and beliefs	Catarino 1577
Salacia senegalensis (Lam.) DC.	Celastraceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Roots	Food	Catarino 1650
Samanea dinklagei (Harms) Keay (Syn. Albizia dinklagei (Harms) Harms)	Fabaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest, Palm Grove, Wet Grass Savanna	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Bark	Handicrafts	Diniz et al. 1268
Sansevieria senegambica Baker	Asparagaceae	Herb	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, Bijagós	Guinean Sub-Region	Roots	Handicrafts, Phytochemical	Catarino 692
Sarcocephalus latifolius (Sm.) E.A.Bruce	Rubiaceae	Shrub	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest, Wet Grass Savanna	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Roots, Bark, Leaves	Food	Catarino 1344
Schultesia guianensis var. latifólia (Mart. ex Progel) E.F.Guim. & Fontella (Syn. S. stenophylla var. latifolia Mart. ex Progel)	Gentianaceae	Herb	Wet Grass Savanna, Ruderal	North, South, East	Guinean Sub-Region	Whole plant		Diniz & Catarino 1674
Scleria boivinii Steud.	Cyperaceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South	Afrotropical	Whole plant		Diiz & Gonçalves 1792
Sclerocarya birrea (A.Rich.) Hochst.	Anacardiaceae	Shrub	Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Bark, Leaves		Gonçalves et al. 83
Scoparia dulcis L.	Plantaginaceae	Herb	Woodland, Palm Grove, Wet Grass Savanna, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Pantropical	Leaves, Stem		Catarino 696
Secamone afzelii (Roem. & Schult.) K.Schum.	Apocynaceae	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Roots, Leaves		Catarino 1084
Securidaca longipedunculata Fresen.	Polygalaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves, Roots	Rituals and beliefs	Catarino 1350
Senna alata (L.) Roxb.	Fabaceae	Shrub	Ruderal	North, South, East	Introduced, Native to America	Leaves	Beverages	Diniz & Catarino 1728
Senna obtusifolia (L.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby	Fabaceae	Shrub	Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Introduced, Native to America	Leaves		Vidigal et al. 131
Senna occidentalis (L.) Link	Fabaceae	Herb	Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Pantropical	Leaves, Roots	Beverages	Diniz et al. 996
Senna podocarpa (Guill. & Perr.) Lock	Fabaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Gallery Forest, Palm Grove,	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Leaves		Indjai 02
Senna siamea (Lam.) H.S. Irwin & Barneby	Fabaceae	Tree	Savanna Woodland, Cultivated	North, South	Introduced, Native to Asia	Leaves		Moreira 26
Sida linifolia Juss. ex Cav.	Malvaceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Wet Grass Savanna, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afro-Neotropical	Aerial parts of plant		Catarino 1054
Sida urens L.	Malvaceae	Herb	Gallery Forest, Ruderal	North, South, East	Pantropical	Aerial parts of plant		Catarino 1403
Smeathmannia laevigata Sol. ex R.Br.	Passifloraceae	Shrub	Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Branches		Catarino 1651
Smilax anceps Willd.	Smilacaceae.	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves, Roots		Catarino 1380
Solanum macrocarpon L.	Solanaceae	Herb	Cultivated	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afro-Neotropical	Roots, Leaves	Food	Diniz et al. 1054
Sorindeia juglandifolia (A.Rich.) Planch. ex Oliv.	Anacardiaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves	Food	Catarino 2129
Spermacoce verticillata L.	Rubiaceae	Herb	Savanna Woodland, Wet Grass Savanna, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots		Catarino 790
Sphaeranthus senegalensis DC.	Asteraceae	Herb	Palm Grove, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Paleotropical	Whole plant		Catarino 1602
Spondias mombin L.	Anacardiaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afro-Neotropical	Leaves	Food	Catarino 701
Stereospermum kunthianum Cham.	Bignoniaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Afrotropical	Bark		Martins & Catrino 1500
Strophanthus hispidus DC.	Apocynaceae	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest, Palm Grove	North, South, East	Guineo-Congolian Regions	Roots		Catarino 734
Strophanthus sarmentosus DC.	Apocynaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Roots	Rituals and beliefs	Indjai 13
Tapinanthus bangwensis (Engl. & K.Krause) Danser	Loranthaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Whole plant	Rituals and Beliefs	Catarino 1461
Terminalia albida Scott-Elliot	Combretaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Leaves		Catarino 1925
Terminalia macroptera Guill. & Perr.	Combretaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian Region	Leaves, Bark		Catarino 1923
Tetracera alnifolia Willd.	Dilleniaceae	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Sap		Catarino 1104
Trema orientalis (L.) Blume	Cannabaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Paleotropical	Leaves		Catarino 1617
Trichilia emetica subsp. suberosa J.J.de Wilde	Meliaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Paleotropical	Bark		Catarino 622
Trichilia prieuriana A.Juss.	Meliaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Guineo-Congolian Region	Leaves, Bark		Indjai 19
Triclisia patens Oliv.	Menispermaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East	Guinean Sub-Region	Roots	Food	Catarino 1565
Triumfetta cordifolia A.Rich.	Malvaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Wet Grass Savanna, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves		Catarino & Bancessi 659
Urena lobata L.	Malvaceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Ruderal	North, South, East, Bijagós	Pantropical	Leaves	Handicrafts	Catarino 1407
Usteria guineensis Willd.	Loganiaceae	Climber	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Leaves		Catarino 1672
Uvaria chamae P.Beauv.	Annonaceae	Climber	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Roots, Branches, Leaves	Food	Diniz & Gonçalves 1908
Vernonia nigritana Oliv. & Hiern	Asteraceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Roots		Catarino 1439
Vigna unguiculata subsp. unguiculata var. spontanea (Schweinf.) Pasquet	Fabaceae	Herb	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Wet Grass Savanna	North, South, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves	Food	Diniz & Pinto-Basto 2407
Vitex doniana Sweet	Lamiaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Roots	Food	Catarino 1424
Vitex madiensis Oliv.	Lamiaceae	Tree	Woodland, Savanna Woodland	North, South, East	Guineo-Congolian/Sudano-Zambezian Regions	Roots, Flowers	Food	Catarino 1660
Voacanga africana Stapf ex Scott-Elliot	Apocynaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Palm Grove	South, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Roots, Leaves, Bark		Catarino 1714
Waltheria indica L.	Malvaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Pantropical	Roots		Catarino 1065
Ximenia americana L.	Olacaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Pantropical	Roots, Bark	Food, Phytochemical	Catarino 1605
Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A.Rich.	Annonaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves, Fruits, Bark	Food	Catarino 879
Xylopia longipetala De Wild. & T.Durand	Annonaceae	Shrub	Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Afrotropical	Leaves	Food	Diniz & Gonçalves 1912
Zanthoxylum leprieurii Guill. & Perr.	Rutaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, East, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guineo-Congolian Regions	Bark, Leaves, Roots		Indjai 09
Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides (Lam.) Zepern. & Timler	Rutaceae	Tree	Forest, Woodland, Savanna Woodland, Palm Grove, Gallery Forest	North, South, Bijagós	Sudanian/Guinean Sub-Region	Roots		Catarino 926

Experimental design, materials and methods

Study area

Guinea-Bissau is located in the Northern Intertropical Zone of West Africa. It borders on the Republic of Senegal to the North, the Republic of Guinea to the East and South and by the Atlantic Ocean to the West [2]. It covers 36,125 km2 and the country encompasses continental mainland (North, South, and Eastern regions) and a group of 40 islands, the Bijagós Archipelago (Fig. 1A).

Fig. 1

Map of Guinea-Bissau (A – left). Some of the main vegetation types (right): (B) palm groves, Bijagós Islands; (C) mangroves, Cacheu Natural Park; (D) woodlands, Dulombi Park; (E) savanna woodlands, Boé Park (photographs L.Catarino).

Four different geo-morphological areas are identified for Guinea Bissau, i.e. the Bijagós Islands covered by palm groves (Fig. 1B) and dry forests surrounded by mangroves; the low-lying, littoral region with extensive mangroves dissected by rivers and creeks (Fig. 1C); a transitional zone extending in an easterly direction covered in woodlands (Fig. 1D); the savanna plains in the East and South-East sloping upwards to a maximum height of 300 m (Fig. 1E).

Guinea-Bissau׳s medicinal flora: vegetation types and species distribution

Flora and vegetation types

Guinea-Bissau׳s vascular flora comprehends 1524 taxa, of which 1391 are native [3]. The main vegetation types occurring in Guinea-Bissau were documented during several field surveys and are identified in Table 1, in which the species are assigned to vegetation types in accordance with the following classes: a) forest; b) woodland; c) savanna woodland; d) wet grass savanna; e) palm grove; f) riparian forest; g) mangrove and h) ruderal habitats (see Fig. 1B–E). In terms of surface area, savanna woodland dominates, followed by woodland, mangrove, herbaceous savanna and dry forest, mainly found in the South [3].

Medicinal plants

A total of 218 medicinal plants as used in traditional medicine in Guinea-Bissau were identified in a recent study [1]. Ecological and distributional data are presented in Table 1, and in Fig. 2. Most the medicinal plants are trees (38%; 3 palms are included in this group), followed by shrubs (27%), herbs (21%) and climbers (14%) (Fig. 2A). The main vegetation types in which the medicinal plants species occur are woodland and savanna woodland, but species are also found in areas covered in palm groves, forest and riparian forest. Almost all the species occur in more than one vegetation type and half of them in both woodland and savanna woodland (Fig. 2B). The plant-parts most used are leaves, followed by roots and stem bark. In the case of herbaceous species, usually the whole plant and the aerial parts are used (Fig. 3).

Fig. 2

Distribution of medicinal plants in Guinea-Bissau by life-form (A) and vegetation types (B).

Fig. 3

Plant parts used in traditional medicine in Guinea-Bissau.

Given that medicinal plants are often used for other than medicinal purposes, these are identified in Table 1: a) Handicrafts – plant parts used for handicrafts and utensils (16 species); b) Food – whole plant or plant part edible (52 species); c) Beverages – plant parts used for beverages without therapeutic purposes (6 species); d) Rituals and beliefs – whole plants or plant part used in traditional ceremonies or for magic-religious purposes (7 species); e) Phytochemical – plants used by their chemical compounds (21 species) and f) Timber – species used for wood (10 species).

Geographical distribution

For each of the medicinal species considered in our study, information was compiled on their distribution in Guinea-Bissau: North, South, and East (continental regions) and the Bijagós Archipelago (Fig. 1A). Moreover the 218 medicinal species were categorised into its distribution range (phytogeography), which allow us to characterise the diversity of the climatic, edaphic and floristic-ecological conditions where they occurs. Therefore, the distribution types used are based on those of White (see [4]) for African phytogeographic regions, namely: a) Afro-American (=Afro-Neotropical) – species distributed in the tropical or subtropical regions of Africa and America; b) Amphi-Atlantic – species occurring in the coastal regions on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, in Africa and America; c) Afrotropical – species distributed in the African continent; d) Guinean sub-region; e) Guineo-Congolian region; f) Guineo-Congolian and Sudano-Zambezian regions; g) Guinean sub-region and Zambezian region; h) Paleotropical – species occurring in the tropical or subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania; i) Pantropical – species occurring in the tropical or subtropical regions all over the world; j) Sudanian and the Guinean sub-region; l) Sudanian and the Guineo-Congolian regions; m) Sahelian and Sudanian regions; and o) Sudanian and Zambezian regions.

Data collection

The study of ecological aspects associated with Guinea-Bissau׳s medicinal flora was carried out by means of in-country fieldwork, the collection and study of herbarium specimens and a detailed inventory of published sources. An initial countrywide study of the country׳s flora was conducted between 1997 and 2007 (for more details see [3]). Recent fieldwork included visits to communities in different areas of the country, interviews with local community members and healers, and observations in loco. Close collaboration with IBAP staff allowed for the gathering of information on ecological conditions and conservation measures implemented in protected areas. The data presented in Table 1 was assembled by means of the following sources:

Fieldwork. Ecological and distribution data was collected during the fieldwork carried out during the last two decades in different regions of Guinea-Bissau. The in-country collection of ethnobotanical data relied on semi-structured interviews, in-field observations and guided field surveys were conducted with local healers and members of local communities.

Herbarium Specimens. A detailed review was undertaken of plant specimens at the LISC Herbarium (University of Lisbon) that contain the most important worldwide collection from this country. After examining each record in the herbarium׳s Guinea-Bissau collection, a critical and updated review of Guinea-Bissau׳s plants, their growth-environment, their medicinal relevance and alternative uses was implemented.

Bibliographic Review. A review of publications on medicinal flora of Guinea-Bissau covering the period from 1880s to the present was carried out (for more details see [1]). Moreover, a review of the literature was carried out to investigate previous studies׳ classifications of vegetation types [e.g. [3], [5], [6], [7]], and ecological data collected during fieldwork was complemented with a study of the literature on ecology, biodiversity and the impact of climate change in Guinea Bissau.

Finally all the available data on Guinea-Bissau׳s medicinal flora, including ecological knowledge obtained from specimen vouchers and published literature, as well as the authors׳ field experience, were incorporated into a database (Table 1).

Subject area	Biology
More specific subject area	Ethnobotany
Type of data	Table, Figures, Images
How data was acquired	Fieldwork, herbarium data, bibliographic research
Data format	Filtered and organised
Experimental factors	Field, herbarium and bibliographic data was filtered and classified.
Experimental features	Ethnobotanical and ecological data were collected during fieldwork carried out in different regions of Guinea-Bissau. Also, semi-structured interviews, observations and guided field surveys were conducted with local healers.
Data source location	Latitude and longitude of Guinea-Bissau is 10°59′–12°20′N and 13°40′–16°43′W.
Data accessibility	Data are included in this article