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Traditional Knowledge and Management of Umbu ( Spondias tuberosa , Anacardiaceae): An Endemic Species from the Semi-Arid Region of Northeastern Brazil. Spondias tuberosa, or umbu, is an arboreal species that is important both as an alternative economic and subsistence resource for rural communities in the semi-arid, northeastern regions of Brazil. The aim of this work was to study the knowledge, uses, local gathering practices, and management systems of S. tuberosa that are part of the traditions of the communities in this region. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in two stages in a rural community in the state of Pernambuco. In the first stage, all of the dwellings were visited and both the men and the women who were responsible for their house were interviewed. In the second stage, people who were identified as having a direct relationship with the resource were questioned more thoroughly about the species. Knowledge of S. tuberosa is equally distributed in the community; there are no significant differences in knowledge between men and women, or across age groups. The food category is the most important for both human and animal nourishment. The main forms of local management are tolerance and gathering of fruit. Fruit gathering is directly affected by, in order of importance, taste (sweet-sour), size, and quantity of fruit pulp. The usefulness of S. tuberosa contributes considerably to the tolerance of this species in both managed areas and as part of the native vegetation.