25 Geographical Distribution and Associated Environments Characterisation of Catuba (Trichilia catigua A. Juss. – Meliaceae) in Paraná State – Brazil C. Correa Jœnior and L.C. Ming Department of Plant Production Agronomical Sciences College Săo Paulo State University Botucatu, SP, Brazil, CEP 18.603-970 Keywords: ecology, vegetation, plant introduction, plant conservation, plant domestication, Ethnobotany Abstract Trichilia catigua A. Juss. - Meliaceae has been traditionally used as a tonic and digestive medicine. Some Brazilian pharmaceutical firms use this species to produce phytopharmaceuticals and alcoholic beverages. The aim of this work is to determine its geographical distribution and characterise the environments where catuaba is found in the state of Paraná, in order to support the domestication strategy for the agricultural production of this species. Based on the literature, botanical collections and field observations it was established, that five species of the genus occurring in Paraná, which were identified as T. casaretti, T. catigua, T. claussenii, T. elegans, T. pallida and another supposed to be T. pallens. Trichilia catigua occurs within a wide but defined strip in the state. By evaluating data of climate; soil types; natural vegetation formations; mean, maximum and minimum temperatures; relative humidity; rainfall; altitudes and evapotranspiration the strip may be localised above latitude 25 o in the central and Eastern regions of the state and above latitude 26 o in South-western Paraná. In general, T. catigua was found to occur on fertile, organic-matter-rich soils and predominantly under forest canopies. INTRODUCTION The research for new, plant originated active principles has been currently intensified due to the increasing demand in this area. The use of the plants in human therapeutics has been increased because of the side effects that are caused by the chemically synthesised medicines and also because of the need for new active principles to treat the diseases and/or symptoms that have not yet been targeted by the active compounds available. The conjunction of these factors induced the research on a species whose activities and use have already been known by the Indians (Anonymous, 1984/a). They utilised it for dying, for tanning or as a digestive aid, a tonic or purgative medicine, or even insecticide (Pott and Pott, 1991). This melliferous species, Trichilia catigua A. Juss, belongs to the family Meliaceae, whose best known representatives in Brazil are cedar-tree (Cedrela fissilis), in the Mid-south, Cedrela odorata and canjerana (Cabratea canjerana) in the Amazon region, as well as China tree or santa-barbara (Melia azedarach) and neem (Azadiracta indica), both from India, which are used in landscaping or as insecticides. The species of the genus Trichilia are known by different names, depending on the region. Some records, which are obtained from literature or from the inhabitants, are: catiguÆ, catiguÆ amarelo, catiguÆ branco, catiguÆ vermelho, pau ervilha, carrapateira vermelha, maria preta, lagarteira and bago de morcego. In Paraguay it is called katigua pyta and in Argentina its name is catiguÆ. This diversity of popular names may cause a lot of problems in identification, which may result in inefficacy of treatment when using the false drug. The purpose of this work was the botanical, morphological identification of the most important species within Proc. Int. Conf. on MAP Eds. J. BernÆth et al. Acta Hort. 576, ISHS 2002