Ethnobotany in Europe Research Papers (original) (raw)

- by and +1
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- Ethnobotany, Medicinal Plants, Phytotherapy, Ethnobotany in Europe

Anticholinergic plants of the family Solanaceae have a long history of use as medicines, poisons , and recreational drugs. Though they were the intoxicating substances of choice throughout Europe for centuries, their use for these purposes has declined with the globali-sation of other recreational drugs. The present study sought to examine the level of knowledge surrounding these plants among individuals who had used other hallucinogenic plants or mushrooms in Slovenia. Participants were questioned in regards to the anticholinergic Solanaceae that are known to grow wild in Slovenia: Atropa belladonna L., Datura stramo-nium L., Hyoscyamus niger L., and Scopolia carniolica L. As expected, only a small number of individuals had any substantial knowledge of these plants, and fewer still had used them; some were even unfamiliar with any of these plants. Knowledge of toxicity generally arose from family members, while books and the internet played prominent roles in regards to use knowledge. Knowledge of the plants was vastly varied, with many individuals confusing the plants for others, especially other members of the Solanaceae. Ultimately, a small group of individuals had the largest body of knowledge of these plants, though this was linked with university studies rather than traditional uses. Knowledge of the intoxicating Solanaceae has been largely lost in Slovenia among users of other botanical hallucinogens, likely due to the various dangers their use poses and the undesirable effects they often cause.

- by Christian Reinhard Vogl
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- Ethnobotany, Agrobiodiversity, Homegardens, Ethnobotany in Europe

Acorns are not as well documented in archaeobotanical studies as other fruits and seeds, but their role in European and world prehistory and ethnography is evident. In Polish written sources they are described rather as famine food and fodder. A large find of charred acorns from
a Bronze Age storage pit at the Lipnik site (3015±35 uncal bp, after calibration 1392–1128 BC) in SE Poland provoked discussion about the role of wild plants in the human food palaeoeconomy and also about how to distinguish food from fodder in archaeological deposits. On the basis of the botanical context of the find from Lipnik we cannot rule out the use of acorns as fodder, but their use as food in prehistoric and historical times was also possible. Many twigs, buds and delicate
diaspores were preserved in the studied pit, which can be interpreted as fodder or as a type of insulation. The paper presents a survey of acorn archaeological finds from Poland.

- by Aldona Mueller-Bieniek
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- Archaeobotany, Ethnobotany in Europe, Botany of Useful Plants

Ethnopharmacological relevance Recent studies have shown that groups sharing the same or very similar environments, but with diverse cultural backgrounds (e.g. different ethnos and/or religion) have considerably different knowledge of... more

- by Renata Sõukand
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- History, Cultural History, Anthropology, Folklore

The present article sought to evaluate the efficiency of various folk preparation methods commonly used in Europe for employing anticholinergic Solanaceae plants. The study aimed to uncover which folk methods were effective for the extraction of the anticholinergic tropane alkaloids of these plants, atropine and scopolamine. The folk extractions that were tested sought to simulate the preparation of teas, cold-water infusions, unguents, tinctures, fortified wines, and smoking. All preparation types and a control were then put through an extraction process to see what amount of the alkaloids had been maintained. These extractions were then analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cold- and hot-water preparations, tinctures, and fortified wines all proved to be effective means of extracting atropine and scopolamine from plant material under conditions seen in folk usage. Smoking and the oil-based unguent, however, yielded no alkaloids, suggesting a lack of efficiency for these preparations, a problem with our methodology, or possible chemical changes and losses associated with the preparation procedure.

- by Karsten Fatur and +1
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- Botany, Ethnobotany, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Ethnopharmacology

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Mixtures of wild food plants, part of the Mediterranean diet, have potential benefits for their content in bioactive compounds, minerals and fibres. In Italy, wild plants are still consumed in various ways, for their taste, effects on health and nutritional value. In this paper, we provide a list of wild plants used in vegetable mixtures, indicating their phytochemical and nutritional profile, highlighting those not yet studied.
Aim of the study: We provide a first complete review of traditional uses of wild food plants used as vegetables and their preparations (e.g., salads, soups, rustic pies). We also highlight their phytochemical constituents.
Materials and Methods: We carried out an extensive literature review of ethnobotanical publications from 1894 to date for finding plants used in traditional vegetable mixtures. We also performed an online search for scientific papers providing the phytochemical profile of plants that were cited at least twice in recipes found in the literature.
Results: We list a total of 276 wild taxa used in traditional vegetable mixtures, belonging to 40 families. Among these, the most represented are Asteraceae (88), Brassicaceae (33), Apiaceae (21), Amaranthaceae (12). Many plants are cited in many recipes across several Italian regions. Among the most cited plant we note: Reichardia picroides (L.) Roth, Sanguisorba minor Scop., Taraxacum campylodes G. E. Haglund, Urtica dioica L. Tuscany is the region with the highest number of food recipes that incorporate wild plants used as vegetables. We also list the phytochemical constituents and some pharmacological activities of the plants cited at least twice. Finally, we discuss topics such as the taste of plants used in the recipes.

- by Valentina Savo
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- Food Plants, Ethnobotany in Europe
- by Håkan Tunon
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- Ethnobotany in Europe
- by Luis Carvalho
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- History, European History, History of Science and Technology, Botany

Peasants in the pre-industrial Sweden made their own clothes of skin and wool. In the 18th-19th centuries, the primary source of dye for wool were wild plants, including roots, berries, bark, leaves, lichen and, later, fungi. Plants would be gathered for this purpose in late spring and summer. Peasants also sold some dye plants to local dyework. This makes the process of local dye plants gathering and application as promising biocultural domain for ethnobiological studies. The use of dye plants required knowledge of traditional folk skills that represented a system of specific logic, taxonomies, and theories. Traditional dyes are also a point of interest for cultural and historical studies. One of Carl Linnaeus's main goals in his travels across Swedish provinces was gathering information about locally used dye plants. The local botanical knowledge could be a valuable economic resource, as it could make expensive imports of dye plants from abroad unnecessary. Carl Linnaeus gathered profuse information on traditional dye plants used in various parts of Sweden, and his pupil Pehr Kalm, on dye plants used in western provinces. A number of dye formula books based on these and other contemporary studies were published in the 18th Century, with some of them surviving today. Many traditional dye plants are still in use. Yarn-dyeing for knitting is thriving at present. Currently popular dye plants include: cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris L.), tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.), lady's mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris L.), northern bestraw (Galium boreale L.), and especially Birch leaves (Betula sp.). Stone lichen (Parmelia saxatilis (L.) Ach.), producing a deep-brown colour, has been in use for home-dyeing all over Sweden.

- by Aleksandra Ippolitova
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- Folklore, Ethnobotany, Incunabula, Manuscript Studies
- by Håkan Tunon
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- Ethnobotany in Europe

La plupart des objets exposés dans les musées ethnographiques ont été confectionnés à partir de matériaux naturels : minéraux, animaux ou végétaux. Parmi ces objets, on trouve également un certain nombre de plantes : médicinales, tinctoriales, artisanales, magiques etc. L’ethnobotanique, qui est une discipline consacrée aux relations flore/société, dispose d’une méthodologie appliquée à la récolte et au traitement de ces échantillons. Mais comment les ethnologues ont-ils travaillé à partir de ces objets ? En documentant les 189 échantillons de plantes médicinales conservés au musée du quai Branly, l’auteur propose de s’intéresser à la place des « objets en plante » et plus particulièrement à celle des plantes médicinales dans les collectes ethnographiques. La documentation du fond bibliographique du musée consacré aux rapports homme/nature complète ce travail en esquissant l’histoire de l’ethnobotanique et de « l’ethnologie botanique ».

- by Aleksandra Ippolitova
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- Folklore, Ethnobotany, Ethnobiology, Linguistics

Wild food and fungi use in the countryside has always been an important part of human-nature relationships. Due to
social changes in most rural areas of Europe this part of traditional ecological knowledge is shrinking. The aim of our study was to record the use of wild foods and plants among the Ukrainian (Carpatho-Rusyns) minority in the western part of
Romanian Maramureş. We carried out 64 interviews in two villages. Voucher specimens were collected and DNA barcoding
was used to identify most fungi taxa. We recorded the use of 44 taxa of plants altogether (including 8 taxa used only for
herbal teas) and 24 taxa of fungi. On average 7.7 species of plants and 9.7 species of fungi were listed per interview. Edible
fungi are thus an important part of local cuisine and they are eagerly gathered by everyone. The use of a few woodland
bracket fungi is worth pointing out. No signs of degeneration of this knowledge were observed. Wild fruits are less collected
now and wild greens are rarely collected nowadays. This pattern is typical of many places in Central Europe.

- by Lukasz Luczaj and +2
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- Ethnobotany, Anthropology of Food, Maramures, Carpathian-Pannonian region
- by Manuel Pardo de Santayana
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- Ethnobotany, Historical ethnobotany, Ethnobotany in Europe

Ficha que recoge los conocimientos tradicionales relacionados con la gestión, cultivo, manejo y usos de la zanahoria (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) en las diferentes regiones del Estado Español en las que se ha cultivado esta planta de... more

- by Ugo D'Ambrosio
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- Ethnobotany, Iberian Studies, Medicinal Plants, Ethnobotany in Europe

European medicinal plants have attracted scholars since ancient times. However, ethnobotanical studies in a modern sense, based on well-defined methods, aims and appropriate documentation, were not introduced in Europe until the mid-19th century. More than 180 medical ethnobotanical field studies were found in a survey of papers indexed in Scopus during the period 1992–2014. Turkey, Italy and Spain clearly dominate in the number of papers, with 65% of the studies being based in these countries. These surveys reflect a very rich and dynamic medical system with species such as Chelidonium majus L., Crataegus monogyna Jacq., Equisetum arvense L., Hypericum perforatum L., Malva sylvestris L., Mentha pulegium L., Origanum vulgare L., Sambucus nigra L., Urtica dioica L. and Thymus vulgaris L. being among the most relevant. Such studies seek to reconcile existing and emerging therapies with conventional biomedicine and promote cultural competency in the delivery of healthcare to migrants and people who still use their own knowledge for curing themselves and other members of the community. Such studies also form the basis for the safe use of medicinal plants within the increasingly multicultural societies in Europe and in the context of biocultural conservation. Preserving the knowledge about medicinal plants that are presently underused may lead to the development of the pharmaceuticals and complementary medicines of tomorrow.

- by Renata Sõukand and +1
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- Cultural History, Ethnobotany, History of Medicine, Ethnopharmacology

Cultural Importance Indices: A Comparative Analysis Based on the Useful Wild Plants of Southern Cantabria (Northern Spain). This paper compares four indices based on informant consensus. Each index aims to assess the cultural significance of plant species and is suitable for statistical testing of different hypotheses. For the comparison, we used data concerning plants traditionally used in the Campoo area of southern Cantabria in northern Spain. Our results show a positive and significant correlation between the number of uses (NU) and the frequency of citation (FC) of the species. It seems to be a general rule that the more versatile a plant, the more widespread its usefulness. In addition, NU is highly influenced by the number of use-categories in the study. Consequently, an objective index must rely on FC more than NU. We propose the use of the cultural importance index (CI), which is defined as the summation of the informants’ proportions that mention each of the uses of the species. The CI index is highly correlated with FC and, although it also considers diversity of use, each use-category is conveniently weighted by the number of informants mentioning it. Despite the use of cultural significance indices being questioned, we believe that indices based on in-depth, semi-structured interviews are still very useful for compilation studies of passive knowledge, such as most ethnobotanical works conducted in the last three decades in Europe.

- by Manuel Pardo de Santayana and +1
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- Quantitative Ethnobotany, Cantabrian Region, Ethnobotany in Europe

В статье представлен этимологический и лингвогеографический анализ слов пучка и умра, зафиксированных в русских говорах Прикамья и обозначающих различные зонтичные растения (Heracleum sibiricum L., Angelica archangelica L., Conium maculatum L. и др.) или дудчатый стебель зонтичных. Представлен опыт таксономической идентификации растений, которые обозначаются лексемами пучка и умра, их вариантами и производными. Прикамский диалектный материал нанесен на карту и сопоставлен со сходным севернорусским. Утверждается финно-угорское происхождение лексем (для слова умра этимология предлагается впервые).
[The paper proposes an etymological and geographical-distribution analysis of the words puchka and umra, recorded in Russian dialects in the Kama Region. They denote various Umbelliferae plants (Heracleum sibiricum L., Angelica archangelica L., Conium maculatum L., etc.) or the fistular stem of Umbelliferae plants. A tentative taxonomic identification of plants denoted by the lexemes puchka and umra or their variants/ derivatives is proposed. All Kama Region dialect data are mapped and compared with similar Northern Russian data. The Finno-Ugric origin of the lexemes is established, with an etymology of umra proposed for the first time.]

This study reports on the ethnobotanical knowledge in the area of Agro Nocerino Sarnese to help complete the knowledge of the traditional plant use in Campania region. Medical applications have been focused and analysed using quantitative indices.
Materials and methods: Fieldwork was conducted from March 2014 to October 2016 applying a snowball sampling approach and in total 60 informants were interviewed, the average age of informants was 72 years. In addition Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC), Informant Consensus Factor (Fic ) and Fidelity level (Fl) were calculated.
Results: In total 93 taxa belonging to 41 families have been reported by informants. The 767 use reports concern medical applications (613), culinary uses (87) and domestic uses (67). Eighty-one species were reported for medical applications, the most cited plants are: Matricaria chamomilla (56 use-reports), Solanum lycopersicum (29), Allium sativum (28), Lactuca sativa (28), Malva sylvestris (27), Citrus x limon (26) and Foeniculum vulgare (25).
Conclusion: The present study confirms the persistence of traditional plant use in the Campania region and highlights the need of ethnobotanical research in areas where industrial development has increasing the loss of traditional cultures.

- by Riccardo Motti and +1
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- Biodeterioration and Biodegradation, Ethnobotany in Europe

Among the several thousand parasitic plants that thrive in a wide range of ecosystems, a few hold a special position, either for their scientific interest, economic importance, or historical relevance. Cynomorium belongs to the latter,... more

Among the several thousand parasitic plants that thrive in a
wide range of ecosystems, a few hold a special position,
either for their scientific interest, economic importance, or
historical relevance. Cynomorium belongs to the latter,
exclusive guild

Papaver is popular component in European mythologies, fairy tales, rituals and short forms of folklore (oral literature), it appears as a specific cultural construct. Main goal of the article is to analyze the meanings of this plant occured in Polish folk tales, referring also
to cultural practice and phytotherapeutic knowledge, which is the source of symbolism connecting papaver with the dream world, death, demonic creatures and initiation in traditional folklore. The lifespan of the papaver in the ethnobotanical consciousness of Poles definitely distinguish oneself from other herbs, it is proved by surveys conducted for the purposes of the article. Changes in economic and cultural realities have resulted in a sharp decline of herbal knowledge, the disappearance of rituals and magical practices (including this with use of poppy seeds) in Poland, nevertheless papaver is still a plant which physiological
effect and an important place during holidays (most often Christmas) is known to almost everyone in Poland. Contemporary oral literature with the papaver component refers mainly to the home-made production of drugs with opium, it creates new plot content (also with comic elements), which passages are included in the article. These strands enrich the resources of Polish folklore about plants.

- by Sara Orzechowska
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- Folklore (Literature), Folklore (Anthropology), Folk and Fairy Tales, Plants

In many agricultural and hunter-gatherer communities, edible wild plants are still a relevant food source, although their use has been, in many cases, undervalued. In this sense, acorns have been known as a foodstuff in written sources since antiquity, as well as from scientific analyses in archaeobotany and ethnobotany. We have tried to reconstruct the chaîne opératoire in the preparation of acorn cake, with experiments using materials similar to those potentially used in the western Pyrenees in the past. Furthermore, we have considered some ethnographic data which are available for this area. The results show that the treatment of pre-selected acorns by raw-roasting and leaching is feasible and we emphasise their nutritional value. The results of the experiments improved considerably with the use of pottery and optimal storage conditions. In addition, several by-products useful for other daily tasks were generated which may have been used as well in the past.

- by Hugo H Hernández and +4
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- Experimental Archaeology, Ethnobotany, Iberian Prehistory (Archaeology), Archaeology of the Iberian Peninsula

The article comprises naming principles according to systematic botany and folk categorization in Estonian. First attempts to fix Estonian plant names were made at the beginning of 1920ies, since that multiple vernacular plant names were unified and taught at schools and promoted in the popular literature. Before this time plant names, used by common people, were created based on folk categorization of the plants, where emphasis was on the actual use or appearance of the plant, not on the taxonomy of it. Modern Estonian plant names are created according to the taxonomy of the plant: name of the every species is unique and follows the structure of the Latin name. Still, the names given according to categorization exist in folk use and are well traceable with cultivated plants. To discuss the existing disagreement between two systems, we use as an example vernacular names of Crassula ovata. We analyze Estonian and vernacular names of this plant and explain the new terms endemic name (referring to ad hoc name), correct name (referring to folk understanding of Estonian name), and categorization. The right name of C.ovata in Estonian is portulak-turdleht – the species epithet portulac refers to the shape resemblance to the leaves to the leaves of Portulaca family and genus name turdleht refers to the succulent leaves and is the part of the names of all the species of this genus. As the official name is difficult to pronounce and remember, it is not widespread among laypeople and the plant has gained many ad hoc names. Among them are two established vernacular names that are based on the categorization: ahvileivapuu [monkey bread tree] and kummipuu [rubber tree]. We suggest that name ahvileivapuu belongs to the category exotic plant and kummipuu to the category recalling the feel of rubber. We suggest that folk categorization principles would be considered while naming the plants, as this will make the names more transparent and understandable to wider audience. Also, the use of parallel names as in English and waiving of the use of the strict structure following Latin rules could be helpful.

- by Renata Sõukand and +1
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- Ethnobotany, History of Estonia, Estonia, Systematic Botany, Taxonomy, History of Botany
- by Valentina Savo
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- Ethnobotany, Ethnobotany in Europe

This research contributes to a better understanding of the criteria used for the selection of plants for making beverages. Worldwide, not only the leaves of Camellia sinensis, but also various other plants are used for making tea. We argue that the selection of plants for making tea (in Estonian teetaimed) depends on specific features possessed by or attributed to the plants. 54 plant taxa and one lichen were identified as being used for making tea, based on the analysis of Estonian historical handwritten archival records on plant use for the period from 1887 to 1994. The influence of popular literature on the use of plants for making tea was also assessed. The suitability of a plant for making tea depends on a combination of factors like multifunctional use, mild taste and attributed medicinal properties. The variety of medicinal properties attributed to teetaimed in folk medicine allowed herbal tea drinking to be considered as mild disease prevention. Hence, the roots of the Estonian tea tradition lie in the medicinal use of the plants, not oriental ceremonial tea drinking.

- by Renata Sõukand and +1
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- Landscape Ecology, Environmental Education, Climate Change, Ethnobotany

« Ateliers ethnobotaniques », « sorties ethnobotaniques », « jardins ethnobotaniques » : l’ethnobotanique est à la mode. Historiquement pratiquée au Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle et délaissée par les universités, la discipline est aujourd’hui investie par les acteurs associatifs. Mais aussi par l’ethnopôle de Salagon qui organise depuis 2001, dans les Alpes de Haute-Provence, un séminaire consacré exclusivement à l’ethnobotanique. Créé sous l’égide de la mission du patrimoine ethnologique, le conservatoire ethnologique de Salagon (devenu en 1999 Musée départemental), par ailleurs labellisé ethnopôle et membre de la Fédération des écomusées de France, forme chaque année une centaine d’ethnobotanistes « professionnels » ou « amateurs » qui marchent dans les pas du fondateur Pierre Lieutaghi. Au « carrefour des sciences naturelles et des sciences humaines », l’ethnobotanique fait ses classes à Salagon.

European folk medicine has a long and vibrant history, enriched with the various documented uses of local and imported plants and plant products that are often unique to specific cultures or environments. In this paper, we consider themedicoethnobotanical field studies conducted in Europe over the past two decades. We contend that these studies represent an important foundation for understanding local small-scale uses of CAM natural products and allow us to assess the potential for expansion of these into the global market. Moreover, we discuss how field studies of this nature can provide useful information to the allopathic medical community as they seek to reconcile existing and emerging CAM therapies with conventional biomedicine. This is of great importance not only for phytopharmacovigilance and managing risk of herb-drug interactions in mainstream patients that
use CAM, but also for educating the medical community about ethnomedical systems and practices so that they can better serve growing migrant populations. Across Europe, the general status of this traditionalmedical knowledge is at risk due to acculturation trends and the urgency to document and conserve this knowledge is evident in the majority of the studies reviewed.

- by Manuel Pardo de Santayana and +1
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- Ethnobotany, Folk Medicine, Medicinal Plants, Ethnomedicine
- by Javier Tardío
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- Ethnobotany in Europe, Wild edible plants
- by Christian Reinhard Vogl and +2
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- Ethnobotany, Weed Science, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Ethnobiology

Background: The Republic of Georgia (Sakartvelo in Georgian language) is part of the Caucasus biodiversity hotspot, and human agricultural plant use dates bat at least 6000 years. However, little ethnobiological research has been published from the region since the 1940s. Given the lack of recent research in the region, the present study we report on plant uses in Skartvelo (Republic of Georgia), Caucasus. We hypothesized that, (1) given the long tradition of plant use, and the isolation under Soviet rule, plant use both based on homegardens and wild harvesting would be more pronounced in Georgia than in the wiser region, (2) the Soviet occupation would have had broad influence on plant use, and (3) there would still be incidence of knowledge loss despite wide plant use.. Interviews using semi-structured questionnaires were conducted with 170 participants (80 women and 90 men) after obtaining their oral prior informed consent. All interviews were carried out in the participants' homes and gardens by native speakers of Georgian and its local dialects (Svan, Tush, Khevsur, Psav), or, where participants spoke these as their native language, Armenian, Russian, or Greek. Results: In the present study we encountered 480 plant species belonging to 249 genera of 95 families being used in the research region. The highest number of species and of unique species were reported from the remote Tusheti-Khevsureti region. Informant consensus and number of use reports were highest for each region in the food and medicinal use categories. Of the 480 plants being used in the research region 282 species were exclusively wild-harvested, 103 were grown in homegardens, and 84 were both grown in gardens and sourced in the wild. Conclusions: Plant species, and uses, found in our study, both for Georgia in general, as well as for its regions, showed clear relations to the wider Caucasus-Asia Minor-Balkans cultural complex. However, plant use in Georgia was much more diverse than reported in other studies from Eurasia.

- by Rainer W Bussmann and +2
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- Ethnobotany, Caucasus, South Caucasus, Ethnobotany in Europe

Chios, one of the largest islands in the Eastern Mediterranean, became internationally known during the 13th century due to the production of the Chios mastic in twenty one villages on the south, the resin of the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus L. var. chia (Desf. ex Poiret) DC.), to which many beneficial properties and uses had already been attributed in the antiquity. The international demand for mastic led the various conquerors of Chios to prohibit free trade and lay down a system for monopoly distribution. After the island was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1566, following a period of almost two centuries of Genoan rule (1346 to 1566), the valuable product of Chios Mastic constitutes one of the monopolies of the Ottoman State. The present article aims firstly to present the botanical aspect of Chios Mastic, the mastic tree (P. lentiscus var chia), as well as the cultivation and harvesting methods of the produce. Secondly, by investigating the historical sources it aims to present the geography of the mastic trade in the East and West from the 17th through to the 19th century, while at the same time analyzing the monopoly trade system established by the Ottoman State. Thirdly, it analyzes the international demand for the Chios mastic during this same period in the international markets, focussing on the beneficial qualities attributed to it. Finally, it examines the validity of the information published in geographical and traveller’s journals during the period in question, evaluating the conclusions of the relevant modern scientific research. This article is based mainly on studying sources such as geographical and traveller’s manuscripts dated back from the 17th until the 19th century, which are kept in the “Korais” Central Public Historical Library, as well as other historical sources examining the period in question.

Svaneti and Racha-Lechkumi are historical provinces of Georgia, located on the south-facing macro-slope of the western part of the Greater Caucasus. Svaneti has always been one of the more accessible mountain regions of Georgia, and recently winter tourism has experienced a boom. However, surprisingly few studies on the plant use of its inhabitants exist.
In this study we documented traditional plant use in Svaneti and Racha-Lechkhumi, and hypothesized that (1) plant use knowledge in general would be higher in isolated high elevation communities, and that (2) use of home gardens would be much more restricted to lower elevation settings. Fieldwork was conducted in Svaneti and Racha July–August 2014 in 17 communities. Interviews using semi-structured questionnaires were conducted with 63 participants. We encountered 203 plant species belonging to 144 genera of 65 families being used in the research region. Of these, 99 species were exclusively wild-collected, 73 were grown in home-gardens, and 35 were both grown in home-gardens and collected in the wild. Plants and their uses mostly overlapped among the four areas within the region, with a slightly wider divergence in uses than in plants. The environmental fit analysis showed that a large degree of this variation was explained by differences among informant communities. The elevation of the informant community significantly fit the ordination in plant-space and explained a large degree of the variation in plant species reported but not in use-space. Gender was not significant in plant-space or use-space.

- by Rainer W Bussmann and +2
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- Ethnobotany, Ethnomedicine, Etnobotánica, Ethnobotany in Europe

During the pregnancy period, the pregnant woman becomes vulnerable to certain pathologies. In rural areas, several plants are used to treat pregnant women. The objective of this study was to inventory the plants used by traditional healers for the preparation of traditional remedies used for monitoring pregnancy. The ethnobotanical survey was conducted using a questionnaire by the semi-structured interview method. Most of the 104 traditional healers interviewed were women (88.46%) and were over the age of 45 (80.77%). A total of 27 plant species distributed among 26 genera and 18 families were cited. Plants were classified according to different stages of pregnancy. Thus, those used throughout the duration of pregnancy represented 33.33%. The most used organs were the leaves with 88%. Kneading (98%) and maceration (2%) were the preparation methods mentioned, with water as solvent for the preparation of recipes. These remedies were administered by anal (98%) and oral (2%) routes. Among the plants mentioned Secamone afzelii (Cpr = 11,37%), Mallotus oppositifolius (Cpr = 10.11%) and Turraea heterophylla (Cpr = 9.57%) were used throughout the period of pregnancy and contributed the most to the preparation of recipes. This study draws up a nonexhaustive list of plants used by pregnant women for the good development of their pregnancy. These plant resources deserve biological and chemical studies with a view of their good development.

- by European Scientific Journal ESJ
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- Ethnobotany, Ethnobotany in Europe
- by Manuel Pardo de Santayana
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- Homegardens, Gardens, Spain (Mediterranean Studies), Catalonia

Речник српских народних веровања о биљкама Веселина
Чајкановића је једно од најисцрпнијих и најсистематичнијих дела по-
свећених народним знањима и веровањима о магијским и лековитим
својствима биљака код Срба. Поред етноботаничких концепата, Чајка-
новић се у овом делу дотицао и народних представа о болестима које су
залазиле у сферу демонологије и народне религије Срба. Чајкановићева
постхумно објављена студија послужила је као основ за многа потоња
истраживања етномедицинских представа у домаћој етнологији и ан-
тропологији. На основу етнографске евиденције изнесене у Речнику,
овај текст смо конципирали као покушај стицања прецизнијих увида
у то на које је начине наш народ перципирао, дефинисао, разврставао
и класификовао биље, претварајући еколошко окружење у ресурс за
физички опстанак и несметано социокултурно функционисање колек-
тива. Традиционалне руралне заједнице српског становништва жи-
веле су у блиском додиру с природом, а способности идентификације
и груписања сличних врста, њиховог разликовања од других врста,
као и комуникација тог знања будућим нараштајима биле су кључне
за опстанак заједнице. Наш задатак у овом раду ће бити проналажење
менталног модела природе у традиционалној српској култури и њему
својственог скупа елементарних принципа помоћу којих је у контексту
традиционалног српског села биљни свет био перципиран и коришћен.
Крећући се овим путем настојаћемо да покажемо како богата и деце-
нијама нагомилавана етноботаничка грађа може да се реинтерпретира
осавремењеним методолошким оквирима структуралне и когнитивне
антропологије.

- by Mladen Stajic
- •
- Ethnobotany, Plant Taxonomy (Taxonomy), Cognitive Anthropology, Folk Religion

To use any domestic remedy, specific knowledge and skills are required. Simple logic dictates that the use of wild plants in the context of limited interaction with nature requires prior identification, while in the case of non-plant remedies and cultivated plants this step can be omitted. This paper aims to document the current and past uses of non-plant remedies and cultivated plants in the study region for human/animal medication; to analyze the human medicinal and veterinary use areas in the context of the remedy groups; to qualitatively compare the results with relevant historical publications; and to compare the intensity and purpose of use between the remedy groups. During field studies 134 semi-structured interviews were conducted with locals from 11 villages in the Liubań district of Belarus. Currently used home-remedies as well as those used in the past were documented by employing the folk history method. The subject was approached through health-related uses, not by way ...

- by Yanina Hrynevich and +1
- •
- Sociology, Ethnobotany, Belarusian Studies, Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Giant knotweed and rowanberry bitters: post-modern ethnobiology on art, food inspiration and preppers

- by ingvar svanberg
- •
- Ethnobotany, Ethnobiology, Ethnobotany in Europe, Applied ethnobotany

Background: Archipelagos of islands have played an important role in shaping some of the paradigms of biology, including the theory of the evolution of species. Later, their importance in biology was further emphasised by the theory of island biogeography, which contributed to a better understanding of the shaping of species richness not only on real islands, but on isolated habitat islands as well. Although ethnobotany is a well-established discipline, patterns of knowledge about plant uses in archipelagos have never been quantitatively analysed, and the whole concept has been only briefly mentioned in the ethnobiological context. The aim of our study was to record which taxa of wild vegetables have been consumed in the Adriatic islands and to establish if such variables as island size, population size, flora or its isolation are correlated with the number of wild vegetables used.

- by Mirjana Jeričević and +1
- •
- Ethnobotany in Europe

Ficha que recoge los conocimientos tradicionales relacionados con la gestión, cultivo, manejo y usos del trigo sarraceno (Fagopyrum esculentum) en las diferentes regiones del Estado Español en las que se ha cultivado esta planta de... more

- by Ugo D'Ambrosio
- •
- Ethnobotany, Iberian Studies, Medicinal Plants, Ethnobotany in Europe