Abstract
An ethnobotanical survey was carried out in the Knin area (northern Dalmatia, Croatia) with the aim of recording traditional plant use by the local (native) people and contributing to the knowledge of plant biodiversity in the investigated area. Ethnobotanical data were collected by interviewing 40 local people at 17 locations. Data on 123 plant taxa (on average 21 taxa per interview) and 122 unique medicinal and 18 food uses in the local community were recorded. Prevalent medicinal uses of the recorded taxa were the treatment of digestive, respiratory, cardiovascular disorders, and injuries. The most commonly used plant parts gathered were leaves (35%) and flowers (20%). The most commonly collected plants in the investigated area were: <em>Urtica dioica</em>, <em>Thymus longicaulis</em>, <em>Sambucus nigra</em>, and <em>Hypericum perforatum</em>.
Highlights
The term “ethnobotany” was coined in 1895 by Harshberger, knowledge of the use of wild plants found in our environment as food or medicine has existed for thousands of years
We found that the fidelity level was the highest for Rumex pulcher and Cydonia oblonga (100% for treating diarrhea), Helichrysum italicum (100% for face treatment), and Chelidonium majus (100% for treating warts)
The observed degree of overlap between food and medicinal plants is very typical in other areas of Europe [36,37,38,39,40,41]
Summary
The term “ethnobotany” was coined in 1895 by Harshberger, knowledge of the use of wild plants found in our environment as food or medicine has existed for thousands of years. The tradition of wild plant use is present to this day in small rural communities throughout the world as a part of their cultural heritage. With approximately 5,000 species and subspecies of vascular flora belonging to 1,090 genera and 189 families recorded so far, Croatia has one of the richest vascular floras in Europe [10].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
