Etude ethnobotanique des especes spontanees a fruits comestibles du Togo

Au Togo, de nombreuses especes vegetales spontanees donnent des produits alimentaires (fruits, graines, feuilles, fleurs, seve, etc.). Les informations liees a ces produits forestiers non ligneux sont detenues par les populations locales. Ce present travail dresse le repertoire des especes spontanees a fruits comestibles de la flore du Togo et analyse la variabilite de la florule fruitiere en fonction des groupes ethniques, des zones ecologiques, des localites et de leur usage. Des enquetes ethnobotaniques ont ete realisees sur un echantillon de 433 personnes dans 79 localites mono-ethniques regroupant 30 ethnies, dans quatre zones ecologiques du Togo. La matrice "ethnies x especes spontanees a fruits comestibles " a ete soumise a une ordination a une classification hierarchique agglomerative. Au total, 101 especes spontanees a fruits comestibles reparties en 84 genres et 36 familles ont ete recensees. La majorite des especes spontanees a fruits comestibles recensees produisent des fruits charnus (drupes et des baies) consommes crus. La diversite des especes spontanees a fruits comestibles varie d’une zone ecologique a une autre et de meme que d’une ethnie a une autre. Cette etude a mis en evidence un etat de connaissance eleve des populations locales en matiere d’exploitation des especes spontanees a fruits comestibles se developpant dans leur environnement. La famille des Annonaceae apparait comme la famille fruitiere la plus importante car elle est bien representee aussi bien en zone de savane qu’en zone de foret. Mots-cles: Baie, cueillette, drupe, denomination, similarite floristique, utilisation English Title: Ethnobotanical study of with edible fruit-bearing species fruits of togo English Abstract In Togo, many species give food (fruits, seeds, leaves, flowers, sap, etc.). Information related to these non-timber forest products is held by local people. This work draws up the list of edible fruit-bearing species of the flora of Togo based on people’s knowledge and analyzes their diversity according to the ethnic groups, the ecological zones and their use. Ethnobotanical surveys were conducted on a sample of 433 people in 79 mono-ethnic localities of 30 ethnic groups in four ecological zones of Togo. The matrix "ethnic groups x edible fruit-bearing species " was subjected to an ordination and to a hierarchical cluster classification. A total of 101 edible fruit-bearing species corresponding to 84 genera and 36 families were inventoried. The majority of edible fruit-bearing species produce fleshy fruits (drupes and berries) which are consumed raw. The diversity of edible fruit-bearing species varies from ecological zone to another as well as from one ethnic group to another. This study revealed a high level of knowledge of local populations regarding the exploitation of edible fruit-bearing species developing in their environment. The family of Annonaceae appears as the most important fruit family because it is well represented in both savannah and forest areas. Keywords: Berrie, picking, drupe, denomination, floristic similarity, use