Ethnobotanical and food composition monographs of selected mediterranean wild edible plants

Abstract

This chapter presents 38 monographs about 41 selected wild edible plants traditionally consumed in different countries of the Mediterranean basin: Allium ampeloprasum, Anchusa azurea, Apium nodiflorum, Arbutus unedo, Asparagus acutifolius, Beta marítima, Borago officinalis, Bryonia dioica, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Chenopodium album, Chondrilla juncea, Cichorium intybus, Crataegus monogyna, Crithmum maritimum, Eruca vesicaria, Foeniculum vulgare, Humulus lupulus, Malva sylvestris, Montia fontana, Myrtus communis, Papaver rhoeas, Plantago lanceolata, P. major, Portulaca oleracea, Prunus spinosa, Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum, Rubus ulmifolius, Rumex acetosa, R. papillaris, R. pulcher, Scolymus hispanicus, Silene vulgaris, Silybum marianum, Smilax aspera, Sonchus asper, S. oleraceus, Tamus communis, Taraxacum officinale, T. obovatum, Urtica dioica, and Ziziphus lotus. These monographs have two parts. The first part consists of a botanical and graphical description of the species and a resume of ethnobotanical data registered in the Mediterranean countries for this edible plant. The second part supplies food composition data for each species, covering the main constituents, vitamins and other bioactive compounds as well as fatty acids profile, based on scientific literature data.