Biodiversity is a central component of Ataúro's populations' intangible heritage, which extends far beyond the definition currently retained by development projects, that of a remarkable biodiversity as a backdrop for tourism. Society-plants relations are explored from four perspectives: the mythical or historical origin of plants, their treatment which combines spontaneous and cultivated categories, the plant as a material or immaterial resource, and finally, with reference to some species and to honey, the social practices and rules that regulate their access. The paper raises the question of confronting such local knowledge and practices with government standards for conservation and development.