Usages de Bombax costatum (Malvaceae) dans les terroirs riverains de la Réserve de biosphère de la Pendjari, République du Bénin

Bombax costatum (the red kapok tree) is native to Africa’s Sudanian zone. It has rarely been studied and is most certainly under-used. Our study assessed traditional knowledge on uses of. costatum and its cultural importance in different socio-cultural groups and according to age categories and gender around the Pendjari Biosphere Reserve in the Republic of Benin. We conducted 118 individual semi-structured interviews to make the assessment. Ethnobotanical indices such relative frequency of citation, reported use value and the cultural importance index were applied in order to assess traditional knowledge and the cultural importance of B. costatum . A total of 46 uses were identified and grouped into 8 categories. The most frequently cited and most culturally important uses of the species were for food and medicinal purposes. The calyx was the plant part most frequently used, especially for food, while medicinal uses involved several plant parts including the calyx, leaf, bark, seed and root. The calyx is also sold on local markets. Knowledge on the uses of B. costatum varied significantly between socio-cultural groups but not according to gender or age categories. Respondents from the Berba and Gourmantche socio-cultural groups were more knowledgeable than the Waama, Natimba and Peulh groups, and also used B. costatum for food most frequently. Promoting the food uses of this species could be considered as a starting point for broadening its use as a resource. However, future studies would need to explore other areas where the species occurs and focus additionally on its nutritional value and potential contribution to household income, as well as on efficient propagation methods to ensure that the species can be used sustainably.