The present study tested the ecological apparency hypothesis in a Brazilian rural community. It used the use value to test the information gained through three types of calculations (UV change , UV general , UV potential ). A vegetation inventory was performed in two areas near Capivara, Paraí-ba, Brazil, and 112 informants were interviewed. For the hypothesis test, the Spearman correlation coefficient was used to correlate the phytosociological (vegetation) and ethnobotanical data (use value). The study recorded 25 useful species in the first site and 20 in the second site. Positive correlations were found in the first site, between the UV g to basal area and dominance, and between the UV c and basal area, dominance, and importance value. In the second site, between the UV g and both basal area and dominance and between UV c and basal area, density, and dominance. Apparency explained the local importance of useful plants in construction, technology, and fuel, but was not explanative of medicine. Also, important responses were observed for the different use values.

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