Ferns as food: Ethnobotanical knowledge, taxonomic identification, culinary applications and potential risks of garabato yuyo in Ecuador

This study examines the dietary use of garabato yuyo from Tena Canton, Napo Province, Ecuador and provides its specific taxonomic identity. Garabato yuyo refers to the young shoots of ferns, commonly gathered from naturally occurring plants that grow on cleared areas of forest throughout the region. In addition to local ethnobotanical uses documented through participant observation, press reports indicate the culinary use of garabato yuyo outside of Napo, suggesting a wider cultural and gastronomic relevance. Collected samples were identified using morphological and taxonomic characteristics. Gabarato yuyo was determined to correspond to the species Hypolepis parallelogramma (Kunze) C.Presl. This study emphasizes the importance of local ecological and culinary knowledge in identifying and safely consuming this species. While H. parallelogramma is an important dietary component in the area and has gained relevance in the culinary culture in Ecuador, this study suggests the need for further research into its phytochemical profile, given the carcinogenic and toxic effects reported in other ferns in the Dennstaedtiaceae family.