Hidden Garden has been collecting information about the local medicinal plants for many years. In our field trips to the Bri Bri Indigenous Territory nearby, we have found a lack of access to ethnobotanical research and modern taxonomy. Our project seeks to provide a small assistance with our free digital educational tool, which provides scientific taxonomy for a few of the plants most used by the Bri Bri people of Coastal Talamanca.

Special thanks to the many tribal elders and their families, who have shared their ancestral knowledge with us and allowed their wisdom to be added to the growing virtual educational system that the technological revolution provides.

We invite visitors to this page to email us with any comments, questions, or corrections. If you are familiar with anyone of Bri Bri ancestry please share this cultural conservation tool with them. Thanks!

 

Species
Bri Bri
Spanish
English
Family
Other
Abelmoschus esculentus Ñanjú Cafe Chiricano MALVACEAE Okra, Okro
Adenostemma platyphyllum Sapo Köyök Aralen ASTERACEAE doña Juana, mamajuana
Alternathera sp. Iös màt AMARANTHACEAE
Aristolochia odoratissima L. Suëkuöña Oreja de conejo ARISTOLOCHIACEAE Zaragoza, bejuco del sol
Bactris gassipaes Dikö Pejibaye Peach palm ARECACEAE chontaduro, cachipay, pejibá
Bauhinia guianensis Aub L. Sibòkapàruwö Escalera de mono CAESALPINIOIDEAE Caspi motelo, bejuco chocho
Begonia involucrata Liebm Chölikili Begonia BEGONIACEAE
Begonia multinervia Liebm Vaca ták Begonia BEGONIACEAE
Bixa orellana Katshá Achiote Lipstick Tree BIXACEAE Annatto
Bursera Simarouba Kolo, kalmoli Hombre Desnudo, Jinocuabe BURSERACEAE Ñijote, Chibú
Carica papaya Kicho Papaya Papaya CARICACEAE Pawpaw
Carludovica rotundifolia Estococca Chidra CYCLANTHACEAE Panama Hat
Cassia reticulata Willd. Páskua Saragundí CAEESALPINIOIDEAE
Cestrum racemosum Zorillo – Arbol Spinach Tree SOLANACEAE
Chinchona pubescens Vahl. Kinina Quinina RUBIACEAE
Cissampelos pareira L. Kokili Vanadero MENISPERMACEAE
Colocasia esculenta Malanga ARACEAE Chamol
Columnea dimidiata? Bedjeri Gota de Sangre GESNERIACEAE
Commelina diffusa ?Molo COMMELINACEAE
Cordia alliodora Laurel BORAGINACEAE Laurel
Cordyline fruticosa Caña India Red Dracaena DRACAENACEAE
Costus spicatus Cana Agria Sour Cane COSTACEAE
Crescentia cujete Jicara, Cuy Jepe BIGNONIACEAE Calabash Tree Xicalli
Croton draco Targua, Sangre de Drago EUPHORBIACAE
Cryosophila guagara P. Allen Túskicha Escoba ARECACEAE
Cucurbita argyrosperma Api Ayote Squash CUCURBITACEAE Pipian
Cymbopogon citratus Soko Zacate Limon Lemon Grass POACEAE Fever Grass
Cyphomandra hartwegii Likilikó
Desmodium adscendens Amor Seco, Pega Pega Strong Back FABACEAE
Dicliptera unguiculata, Blechum
Pyramidatum
Sornia, Olotillo Sornia ACANTHACEAE
Dieffenbalchia seguine Sainillo Dumb cane ARACEAE
Dioscorea mexicana Cuculmeca Blanca Wild Yam DIOSCOREACEAE
Dioscorea sp. Hard Yam DIOSCORACEAE
Dioscorea sp (1) Dòyökicha DIOSCORACEAE
Dioscorea sp (2) Nàìdipàkicha DIOSCORACEAE
Dracontium pitteri Engl. Alámòköl Hombrón ARACEAE
Drymaria cordata (L.) Willd. Kuokili Nervillo CARYOPHYLLACEAE
Dolichandra unguis-cati Uña de Gato Cat Claw BIGNONIACEAE
Eclipta prostrata (syn. E. alba) Congalala ASTERACEAE Baby Bush li chang, bhangra
Ehretia latifolia Raspaguacal BORAGINACEAE
Eryngium foetidurn Culantro Coyote Wild Cilantro APIACEAE
Fevillea cordifolia L. Dùnawö Cabalonga CUCURBITACEAE Jabilla, mantecona, aviata
Furcraea cabuya Trel. Amù wìñak Cabuya AGAVACEAE fique, maguey
Gliricidia sepium Madero Negro FABACEAE
Grias caulifora L. Botòk Membrillo LECYTHIDACEAE Pacó
Guazuma ulmifolia Guácimo Bay Cedar STERCULlACEAE Tapaculo
Hamelia patens Coralillo, Zorillo Colorado Red Head RUBIACEAE Ix-canan, X-k' anan
Hedychiym coronarium Konig Mokó Flor de San Juan, Heliotropo White Ginger Lily ZINGIBERACEAE Lirio Blanco
Heliconia tortuosa Griseb. Tòo Platanillo HELICONACEAE
Hevea brasiliensis Arbol del Caucho Rubber Tree EUPHORBIACAE
Hibiscus rosa sinensis Amapola Hibiscus MALVACEAE
Hura crepitans Jabillo Sandbox Tree EUPHORBIACEAE
Kalanchoe pinnata Hoja de Aire Tree of Life CRASSULACEAE
Mangifera indica Mango Mango ANACARDIACEAE
Machaerium sp. Köyökatchö PAPILONACEAE
Manihot esculenta Yuca Cassava EUPHORBIACEAE Manioc Mandi'o
Manilkara zapota Níspero Chicle Tree SAPOTACEAE Tzapotl
Mimosa pudica Dormilona Sensitive Plant FABACEAE Shame a’maca
Momordica Charantia Sorosí Bitter Melon CUCURBITACEAE
Neurolaena Lobata Bachakri, Tcherekriko, Tchekili Gavilana Jackass Bitters ASTERACEAE Venadillo, yerba de cancer, contragavilana
Ocotea spp. Kòpöli LAURACEAE
Oncidium cebolleta Sulérkili ORCHIDACEAE
Peperomiia Rotundifolia Peperomia PIPERACEAE Epiphytic Peperomia
Peperomila pellucida Lengua de Sapo Man to Man PIPERACEAE
Pereskia grandifolia Har. Namùyibala CACTACEAE
Persea americana Aguacate Avocado LAURACEAE Ahuacatl
Petiveria alliacea Wakili Ajillo, zorrillo Spirit Weed PHYTOLACACEAE Anamú, mucura
Phthirusa pyrifolia (Kunth) Sëdili Matapalo LORANTHACEAE Hiedra, pajarito abejucado
Phyllanthus Niruri Chanca Piedra Stone breaker EUPHORBIACEAE Gripe Bush
Peperomia rotundifolia (L.) Suòkili PIPERACEAE Congona arisca, cuartillo
Piper amalgo Cordoncillo Spanish Elder PIPERACEAE
Piper auritum Kolòkö, Crocoichuc Hoja de Estrella, Anisillo Cowfoot PIPERACEAE Santa María de anis
Piper hispidium Shirëkili PIPERACEAE
Piper Peltatum Crocu Santa Maria Cowfoot PIPERACEAE
Piper sp. Lokilikó Candelillo PIPERACEAE
Pipper spp (2) Tórökicha PIPERACEAE
Piper spp (3) Shutö PIPERACEAE
Quassia amara L. Bokónki Hombre Grande, Amargo Bitterwood SIMAROUBACEAE Cruceto, aguasio
Scutellaria costaricana H.A. Dabökilìwö Pavoncillo rojo LAMIACEAE
Senna Reticulata Saragundí Senna FABACEAE Christrnas Bush
Sida rhombifolia Chichibe Escobilla negra MALVACEAE Broom Weed
Smilax dominguensis Cuculmeca Red China Root SMILACACEAE Chaney Root
Smilax officionalis Zarzaparrilla SMILACACEAE
Smilax spinosa? Sarsaparilla SMILACACEAE
Smilax sp. (2) Sás Zarzaparrilla SMILACACEAE
Smilax sp (3) Wi'wö Zarzaparrilla Sarsaprilla SMILACACEAE
Smilax spp. Sòta Zarzaparrilla Sarsaparilla SMILACACEAE
Solanum sp. Mèkili SOLANACEAE
Spondias mombin L. Bala' Jobo ANACARDIACEAE Ciruela, ciruelo, cocote
Theobroma cacao Cacao Cocoa STERCULIACEAE Xocolatl
Tipogranda purpurascens Molo COMMELINACEAE
Topobea maurofernandeziana Kótokicha MELASTOMATACEAE
Tradescantia zanonia (L.) Sw. Toño Azulillo COMMELINACEAE Suelda
Trattinnickia aspera Doli, Dori Caraña BURSERACEAE Ampó
Triumfetta lappula L. Lúkkili Mozote Caballo Mozote BOMBACACEAE Vadillo cimarrón, cadillo mulato
Unicaria Uña de Gato Cats Claw RUBIACEAE
Urera baccifera Ortiga Tropical Nettles URTICACEAE Scratch Bush
Witheringia solanacea Sulfatillo SOLANACEAE Berchaa
Zea mays Maíz Corn
Zingiber officinale Jengibre Ginger ZINGIBERACEAE
ZZ Tsirkli

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