Gathered Mediterranean Food Plants – Ethnobotanical Investigations and Historical Development

Abstract

The diversity of local Mediterranean food elements is not known in detail, but offers itself to search for new vegetables, salads, fruits and spices which could be used in to enrich diets outside their region of origin. Most amid those interesting local elements are edible wild plants and weeds. Ethnobotanical research has identified ca. 2,300 different plant and fungi taxa, which are gathered and consumed in the Mediterranean. Among these, >1,000 are only consumed in one single zone, therefore are strictly local. The percentage of local gathered food plant (GFP) taxa (present in <5 samples), is higher in the main centers of diversity at the periphery of the Mediterranean (Sahara, Alps, Caucasus, Canary Islands, the Levant). Islands (Sicily, Sardinia, Crete, Cyprus) also show a high proportion. Endemism of GFP taxa only accounts for a limited number of these 'ethnobotanical endemics' (only ca. 350 are endemic/ endangered species). On the other hand, only a few taxa--30 occurring in >20 samples--are consumed in most of the Mediterranean. Most have been analyzed in the Local Food- Nutraceuticals project. The ca. 800 GFP taxa that occur in more than the 5% of localities show a geographical pattern that permits one to recognize seven geographical groups. These groups show relationships with types of Mediterranean diet and could also be related with human genetic polymorphism through long-term co-evolution in a geographical mosaic pattern.

Wild and semi-domesticated food plant consumption in seven circum-Mediterranean areas

“…It is a very popular plant in six out of the seven countries and its leaves are used raw in salads (Cyprus, Crete, Albania) or cooked (Spain, Morocco, Egypt). Our study confirms that of Rivera et al (2006) about the widespread use of perslaine around Mediterranean.…”

“…What makes the difference is the cultural decision that is behind each repertory of gathered food plants (Rivera et al 2006).…”

Folk Classification of Shea Butter Tree (Vitellaria paradoxa subsp. nilotica) Ethno-varieties in Uganda

“…The concept of 'ethno-variety' can therefore be defined as the infra-specific diversity, especially in crop plants, as understood and managed by farmers (Rivera et al 2006). In this paper therefore, a grouping of shea trees identified by farmers under a single name within a particular ethnic group is referred to as an 'ethno-variety'.…”

Is there nothing new under the sun? The influence of herbals and pharmacopoeias on ethnobotanical traditions in Albacete (Spain)

“…Ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology of Albacete havehas been a subject of different studies, articles, and books (Fajardo et al, 2000;Rivera et al, 2006;Verde 2002;Verde et al, 1998Verde et al, , 2008. These studies and historic manuscripts offer an 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 6 opportunity, difficult to equal, for the comparison of relationshipsrelations between the pharmacy at the time immediately previous and later to that of Laguna and Matthioli, the subsequent stages of materia medica and present ethnobotany.…”