NEW ETHNOBOTANICAL RECORDS ON FOOD PLANTS IN THE TERRITORY OF SOUTHERN ASPROMONTE (REGGIO CALABRIA – SOUTHERN ITALY)

Ethnobotany is the science that studies the plants of a territory and their popular use through the traditionalknowledge handed down by local culture. From the past, the use of spontaneous and cultivated plants was anirreplaceable factor for the survival of populations. Various were the use, including: phytoalimurgy,handicraft, phytotherapy, cosmetic, ornamental, magical and religious. In recent years several studies in theMediterranean territory, have argued that the use of spontaneous plants plays an important role in local foodtraditions (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 6). The main purpose of this work was to collect and analyze the traditional uses ofplants in the food field so as not to miss what is the great value of many of them. The ethnobotanical surveywas carried out on the Southern Aspromonte (Calabria). The information was collected between 2012 and2016, with the help of structured interviews in the field, using a paper sheet divided into five parts: generalityof the interviewee, plant name, uses and purposes, information on spontaneous species and information onthe cultivated species. In addition to food uses, other types of uses were recorded but they are not reportedhere. The collected data were subsequently stored in a database created through “Microsoft OfficeAccess”©. They were considered the interviews of 51 people. From these, 62 species of vascular plants, bothspontaneous and cultivated, have been identified for which 157 different types of food have been recorded.Of the various species, the following uses were very interesting and unusual in other territories.Fruit peel and cladodes of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. were coated with breadcrumbs and fried afterhaving removed the spines. Fruits of Fragaria vesca L. was cut, put into the pan and sauted, then added therice: everything everything was stirred and nuanced with red wine. The leaves of the nettles (Urticamembranacaea Poir. ex Savigny) were boiled and cooked together with rice. In addition, this species wasused in the filling of tortelloni instead of spinach. The latex produced from fig branches (Ficus carica L.)was used as a rennet in the preparation of ricotta. The flowers of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. were added to thebatter of the pancakes or in the cooking sauce. The capitula of Cynara cardunculus L. were deprived ofspines and boiled, then joined to eggs and cheese to prepare an omelette. There are also many species whoseyoung sprouts are used as salads or soup preparations. Crepis vesicaria L. and Hyoseris radiata L. wereboiled with other vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots, celery, to prepare soups. The tuber of Helianthustuberosus L. was cut into slices and cooked together with water, oil, pepper, salt and parsley and chopped tomake a sauce. The leaves of Hypochoeris achyrophorus L. are seasoned in salad. Another important group ofspecies are used to flavor foods and beverages. Mentha aquatica L. was used for the preparation of a liqueur:85 leaves immersed in ethyl alcohol then added to a decoction of sugar and water and finally we have to waitanother 10 days before the consumption. The inflorescences of Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav. were dried andused to flavor both meat and fish. Foeniculum vulgare Mill. subsp. piperitum (Ucrìa) Beg., however, hasseveral uses: dried fruits were used to flavor bread dough, the olives in brine, while new sprouts were addedto flavor soups, sauces and risottos.This ethnobotanical investigation has made it possible to highlight the close link between plants and peoplein this area. The whole survey had as its point of reference the phrase "as it was once", so that it can return tothe present, making it a resource for greater sustainability of the territory. From this information, we candraw for the future, so that the natural resources of our planet are preserved and valued at the local as well asglobally.1) Bonet M.A, Vall’s J. (2002) International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, 53, 225-2482) Leonti M., Nebel S., Rivera D., Heinrich M. (2006) Economic Botany 60 (2): 130-1423) Nebel S., Pieroni A., Heinrich M. (2006) Appetite 47 (2006) 333–3424) Pieroni A., Nebel S., Quave C., Mùnz H., Heinrich M. (2002) Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 81, 166-1855) Rivera D., Obon C., Inocencio C., Heinrich M., Verde A., Fajardo J., Ilorach R. (2005) Journal of Physiology andPharmacology, 56S, 97-1146) Tardìo J., Pascual H. e Morales R. (2005) Economic Botany, 59, 122-136