Management, cultivation, and domestication of weaving plants: Heteropsis and Astrocaryum in the Ecuadorian rain forest

This article examines the management and cultivation of two\ud plants in the Mache-Chindul Ecological Reserve, northwestern\ud Ecuador. The plants in this study, a hemiepiphyte, Heteropsis\ud ecuadorensis, (Araceae), commonly called piqigua, and a palm,\ud Astrocaryum standleyanum (Arecaceae), commonly called mocora,\ud provide weaving fiber to make baskets, mats, and smaller woven\ud articles. Although most people living in the area do. not\ud consciously manage this vegetation, evidence shows that locals\ud are engaging in activities that promote the growth of the two\ud plants, thus beginning the domestication process. Over time,\ud cultivation can lead to mono-crops, soil depletion, and increased\ud forest clearing. On the other hand, planting may enable farmers\ud to produce more material for their own use, increase market\ud possibilities, and reduce the ecological disturbance caused by\ud overharvesting wild plants