Patterns of diversity of medicinal shrubs in the Monte desert in the Calchaquí Valleys (Tucumán, Argentina)

In recent times, the population abundance of many of the native medicinal plant species in the Monte Desert in northwestern Argentina has been declining due to agricultural expansion, overgrazing, urbanization, increasing levels of harvesting, and changes in climatic conditions. Therefore, quantitative data on these species is necessary to design strategies that allow their conservation and sustainable use. This study aimed to determine the diversity patterns of some medicinal shrub species in a portion of the mountainous desert of the Calchaquí Valleys (Tucumán - Argentina). Throughout a standardized protocol, the plant communities from four localities (two sampling sites for each locality, S1 and S2) were surveyed (Ampimpa, Tío Punco, Fuerte Quemado, and Los Poleos). Relative density, relative frequency, dominance, and the species importance value index (IVI) were calculated to determine the overall species performance and dominance. Of the species identified, twelve are popularly used as medicinal. Austroflourensia fiebrigii, Pentaphorus glutinosus, Larrea cuneifolia, and Zuccagnia punctata, four medicinal plant species, were dominant in Ampimpa S1. Larrea cuneifolia, Larrea divaricata, and Z. punctata are within the medicinal plant species with the highest IVI. These plant species are used as anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, antitumoral and to treat fungal and bacterial infections. Our study seeks to provide a significant foundation for documenting future changes in these plant communities and to promote conservation strategies and multiplication of them in situ.