Abstract
A list of plant species used for food in Hungary and among Hungarian ethnic groups of the Carpathian Basin during the 19th and 20th centuries was compiled from 71 ethnographic and ethnobotanical sources and a survey among contemporary Hungarian botanists. Species used as food, spice, beverage or occasional snacks were collected. Sources mention 236 plant species belonging to 68 families. Most wild fleshy fruits (mostly <em>Rosa</em>, <em>Ru</em><em>bus</em>, <em>Cornus</em>, <em>Ri</em><em>bes</em>, <em>Vaccinium </em>spp.), dry fruits and seeds (<em>Fagus</em>, <em>Quercus</em>, <em>Corylus</em>, <em>Castanea</em>, <em>Trapa </em>spp.), several green vegetables (e.g. <em>Rumex</em>, <em>Urtica</em>, <em>Humulus</em>, <em>Chenopodiaceae </em>spp., <em>Ranunculus ficaria</em>), bulbs and tubers (<em>Lathyrus tuberosus</em>, <em>Helianthus tuberosus</em>, <em>Chaerophyllum bulbosum</em>, <em>Allium </em>spp.) used for food in Europe, are also known to be consumed in Hungary. A characteristic feature of Hungarian plant use was the mass consumption of the underground parts of several marsh (e.g. <em>Typha</em>, <em>Phragmites</em>, <em>Sagittaria</em>, <em>Alisma</em>, <em>Butomus</em>, <em>Bolboschoenus </em>spp., as well as the endemic <em>Armoracia macrocarpa</em>) and steppe species (e.g. <em>Crambe tataria</em>, <em>Rumex pseudonatronatus</em>). Consuming wild food plants is still important among Hungarians living in Transylvania: even nowadays more than 40 species are gathered and used at some locations.
Highlights
In the last two decades several comprehensive surveys and reviews were performed in many European countries on wild plant use
A list of plant species used for food in Hungary and among Hungarian ethnic groups of the Carpathian Basin during the 19th and 20th centuries was compiled from 71 ethnographic and ethnobotanical sources and a survey among contemporary Hungarian botanists
Our study aims at compiling a knowledge base on wild food plants consumed in Hungary and by the Hungarians living in other countries of the Carpathian basin, containing information on the species, as well as the modes of use
Summary
In the last two decades several comprehensive surveys and reviews were performed in many European countries on wild plant use. Wild plants formed important parts of our ancestors’ diet in a multitude of ways (e.g. as bread ingredients, vegetables, fruits, spices, snacks or beverages); essential in severe times, supplementary otherwise [1,2,3]. Revitalization of traditional practices is timely for ecology, economy and nutrition biology. Even though Hungary is no poorer in traditions of wild plant use than other parts of Europe, no broad-scale review has been undertaken for Hungary in this respect, yet. Information on the human consumption of wild plant species is widely scattered among the ethnographic and botanic literature, mostly in Hungarian language. Publications on gathering economy, traditional nutrition, shepherding, forest goods utilization, and on the hunting-fishing-gathering “pákász”
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