Foto-guía de semillas de frutos y semillas comestibles: Una herramienta para la gestión y manejo de la diversidad vegetal

Abstract

Abstract: The purpose of this research is to know the diversity of edible fruits and seeds that are commercialized in the main markets of the city of Loja. For this purpose, visits were made to the markets where samples of edible fruits and seeds were collected. Subsequently, these samples were photographed both internally and externally to obtain better results. Then, the photographic records and bibliographic information collected for each species were used in the elaboration of the photoguide and photo library of the fruits and seeds found. A total of 75 edible species were reported, of which 41 are exotic or introduced and 34 are native to Ecuador. Of the 34 native species, 16 belong to Loja and one species is endemic. The generation of a photoguide and a photo library proved to be a practical tool to visually identify the diversity of fruits and seeds. The information collected could serve as a basis for other studies such as phenology, morphology of fruits and seeds, and ex situ conservation of edible species.