Contribution to the Ethnobotanical Knowledge of Serre Calabre (Southern Italy)

Abstract

This work presents the results of an ethnobotanical research carried out in the territory of Serre Calabre, province of Vibo Valentia (Calabria, southern Italy). In this territory, the bond between the residents and the rural environment is still strong, the small urban centers are placed in a predominantly agricultural and forestry environment still managed in a traditional way. The survey took place between January 2019 and July 2021. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with locals. The samples of plants were collected under the indication of the interviewees and then deposited at the herbarium of the Mediterranean University of Reggio Calabria (REGGIO). The data were stored on a database, using the software "Microsoft Office Ac-cess" ®. The information was then analyzed statistically with the software "Microsoft Office Ex-cel”®. Some synthetic indexes have also been calculated, such as Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) and the Cultural Importance Index (CI). 17 informants were interviewed and a total of 185 interviews were recorded. This led to the identification of 84 taxa belonging to 39 different fami-lies, among which the most represented are Lamiaceae (23 interviews, 9 taxa), Asteraceae (22 in-terviews, 12 taxa). Among the identified taxa, the prevalent uses are the alimentary one (46 in-terviews, 32 taxa) and the medicinal one (55, 27). The results obtained show how the traditional knowledge about plants in the Serre Calabre area is still alive, however it is exclusive heritage of elderly people and often only in one or just a few informants. Many practices are no longer in use and transmitted to the new generations.