Riparian ecosystem services: Akimel O’otham ethnomedicine use of plants in the Salt River, Phoenix, AZ

Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) has increased nation wide. As major botany CAM clients, minority populations have increased in Phoenix, Arizona. The Salt River riparian zone has native and introduced plants, but management involves clearing the introduced. We asked whether the potential medicinal (ecosystem services) differ between native and introduced plants in the Salt River riparian zone? Medicinal uses (particularly from Akimel O’othom (AO) people) were queried from several databases and publications. Of 52 woody plants, 40 native and 12 introduced, 29 had a total of 162 CAM. 1 introduced plant had AO CAM, while the most CAM potential was an introduced species with 20 medicinal applications. We conclude that native and introduced woody plants in the Salt River do provide significant potential for CAM use.  Consideration of the plants’ ethno functional roles could be used as a basis to determine whether or not to weed plants from restoration sites.