Alimentos silvestres de Madrid: Guía de plantas y setas de uso alimentario tradicional en Ia Comunidad de Madrid

Peer reviewe

Wild food plants traditionallly used in the province of Madrid, Central Spain.

[EN] This paper reports an ethnobotanical investigation, performed between 1999 and 2002, to determine the wild food plants traditionally used in the province of Madrid (central Spain). One hundred and twenty-three vascular species belonging to 31 families were at one time used as vegetables, wild fruits, in the making of beverages, as seasonings, or as other preparations. Wild vegetables formed the largest group, with Scolymus hispanicus, Silene vulgaris, and Rumex pulcher the most frequently cooked vegetables, and Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum and Montia fontana the most commonly used in salads. Also common was the consumption of asparagus and several species of climbing plants such as Bryonia dioica, Tamus communis, and Humulus lupulus. Ethnobotanical novelties included Sonchus crassifolius, the young sprouts of which were used in salads, and Inula salicina, used to make herbal tea. Some ecological and cultural aspects of the collection of wild plants for food are discussed, as well as the relationships between the food and medicinal uses of some species.[ES]PLANTAS SILVESTRES ALIMENTARIAS USADAS TRADICIONALMENTE EN LA PROVINCIA DE MADRID, CENTRO DE ESPAN˜ A. En este trabajo se exponen los resultados obtenidos en un estudio etnobota´nico, realizado entre 1999 y 2002, sobre las plantas silvestres usadas tradicionalmente en la alimentacio ´n en la regio´n de Madrid, en el centro de Espan˜a. Se ha registrado el uso de 123 especies vasculares, pertenecientes a 31 familias, incluyendo verduras, frutos silvestres, plantas utilizadas para elaborar bebidas, condimentarias y otros usos alimentarios de menor entidad. El grupo de verduras es el ma´s numeroso, destacando por su mayor frecuencia de uso Scolymus hispanicus, Silene vulgaris y Rumex pulcher como verdura cocinada, ası´ como Rorippa nasturtium- aquaticum y Montia fontana para elaborar ensaladas. Igualmente esta´ bastante extendido el consumo como espa´rragos de diversas especies de plantas trepadoras, como Bryonia dioica, Tamus communis y Humulus lupulus. Entre las novedades etnobota´nicas destacamos el consumo en ensalada de los brotes tiernos de Sonchus crassifolius y de Inula salicina como infusio´n digestiva. Se discuten finalmente algunos aspectos ecolo´gicos y culturales de la recoleccio ´n de plantas silvestres, ası´ como la relacio´n entre los usos alimentarios y medicinales de algunas especies.Peer reviewe

Ethnobotanical review of wild edible plants in Spain

[EN]This paper compiles and evaluates the ethnobotanical data currently available on wild plants traditionally used for human consumption in Spain. Forty-six ethnobotanical and ethnographical sources from Spain were reviewed, together with some original unpublished field data from several Spanish provinces. A total of 419 plant species belonging to 67 families was recorded. A list of species, plant parts used, localization and method of consumption, and harvesting time is presented. Of the seven different food categories considered, green vegetables were the largest group, followed by plants used to prepare beverages, wild fruits, and plants used for seasoning, sweets, preservatives, and other uses. Important species according to the number of reports include: Foeniculum vulgare , Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum , Origanum vulgare , Rubus ulmifolius , Silene vulgaris , Asparagus acutifolius , and Scolymus hispanicus . We studied data on the botanical families to which the plants in the different categories belonged, overlapping between groups and distribution of uses of the different species. Many wild food plants have also been used for medicinal purposes and some are considered to be poisonous. This review highlights the rich traditional knowledge on edible plants that has remained in rural Spain. Until recently, many wild plants were used as dietary supplements. However, most of this knowledge survives only in the memory of the elderly, and will probably disappear in a few decades. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006,152, 27–71.Peer reviewe

Ethnobotanical review of wild edible plants in Spain

[EN]This paper compiles and evaluates the ethnobotanical data currently available on wild plants traditionally used for human consumption in Spain. Forty-six ethnobotanical and ethnographical sources from Spain were reviewed, together with some original unpublished field data from several Spanish provinces. A total of 419 plant species belonging to 67 families was recorded. A list of species, plant parts used, localization and method of consumption, and harvesting time is presented. Of the seven different food categories considered, green vegetables were the largest group, followed by plants used to prepare beverages, wild fruits, and plants used for seasoning, sweets, preservatives, and other uses. Important species according to the number of reports include: Foeniculum vulgare , Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum , Origanum vulgare , Rubus ulmifolius , Silene vulgaris , Asparagus acutifolius , and Scolymus hispanicus . We studied data on the botanical families to which the plants in the different categories belonged, overlapping between groups and distribution of uses of the different species. Many wild food plants have also been used for medicinal purposes and some are considered to be poisonous. This review highlights the rich traditional knowledge on edible plants that has remained in rural Spain. Until recently, many wild plants were used as dietary supplements. However, most of this knowledge survives only in the memory of the elderly, and will probably disappear in a few decades. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006,152, 27–71.Peer reviewe

Biodiversidad y Etnobotánica en España.

[EN]The relationships between vegetal biodiversity and uses of plants are analysed. The main use categories are described and some examples of edible and medicinal speciesor plants used in folk technology are given to show the importance of biodiversity in traditional cultures. The knowledge and use of plants are an important component of biocultural diversity, a heritage that must be preserved and documented. This wisdom is being lost due to socioeconomic changes, but it might be helpful for understanding how to harmonize the use and conservation of biodiversity. The state of the art in ethnobotanical research in Spain is analysed and a list of literature is given, including universitary research works, such as doctoral and master degree theses.[ES]Se analizan las relaciones entre la biodiversidad vegetal y los usos de plantas. Para mostrar la importancia de la biodiversidad en las culturas tradicionales se describe el uso de las plantas según las principales categorías, poniendo ejemplos de especies alimenticias, medicinales y de uso tecnológico. El conocimiento y uso de las plantas forma parte de la denominada diversidad biocultural, que merece ser documentada y conservada. Este saber está desapareciendo debido a los cambios socioeconómicos acaecidos en los últimos tiempos; sin embargo, puede ser útil para aprender a conciliar el uso y la conservación de la biodiversidad. En este trabajo se analiza el estado de la investigación etnobotánica en España y se aporta una lista de bibliografía sobre el tema,incluyendo trabajos de investigación universitarios, tanto tesis doctorales como trabajos de iniciación a la investigación.Peer reviewe

Knowledge, use and ecology of golden thistle (Scolymus hispanicus L.) in Central Spain

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This paper assesses the current ethnobotanical knowledge, use and management of <it>Scolymus hispanicus </it>L. in two localities of Central Spain and the relation with its natural abundance. It also addresses the influence of sociodemographic factors such as age, gender and time living in the village in the variation of knowledge and practice levels.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>During 2007 and 2008, 99 semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire were made to a random stratified sample by sex and age, asking them about their traditional knowledge and practices (use and gathering) of <it>Scolymus hispanicus</it>. A knowledge and practice (KP) index was created based on the answers to the questionnaire.</p> <p>Results and Discussion</p> <p><it>Scolymus hispanicus </it>is still gathered and consumed by 20% and 35% of the informants, respectively. According to the KP index, the knowledge and practice level is similar in both villages. Age and time living in the village are the factors that better explain the variability in the KP level. People living for more than ten years in the village and those older than 60 years have the highest knowledge level, whereas the younger than 19 the lowest.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data suggests that the prevalence of ethnobotanical knowledge and uses depends more on the cultural importance of the plant and the transmission of such popular knowledge than on the resource's abundance.</p

Diversity and selection of wild food plants in six regions of Northwestern Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal).

Resumo publicado de comunicação oral apresentada no painel Ethnobotanical Studies of Wild Plant Foods do IVth International Congress of EthnobotanyWe discuss and compare the traditional knowledge and use of wild edible plants in six rural regions of the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The data indicate that a high percentage of species are used in most regions (15 species are used in 5 regions). According to the similarity of the species gathered, the six regions can be grouped in two clusters. Therefore, affinity seems to be linked to closeness. The Portuguese region is the most dissimilar due to a very high number and frequency of wild condiments

Fatty acids profiles of some Spanish wild vegetables

Polyunsaturated fatty acids play an important role in human nutrition, being associated with several health benefits. The analyzed vegetables, in spite of his low fat content, lower than 2 %, presents a high proportion of PUFA of n-3, n-6 and n-9 series, such as α-linolenic, linoleic, and oleic acids, respectively. Wild edible plants contain in general a good balance of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids. The present study tries to contribute to the preservation and valorization of traditional food resources, studying the fatty acids profile of twenty wild vegetables by GC-FID. Results show that species in which leaves are predominant in their edible parts have in general the highest PUFA/SFA ratios: Rumex pulcher (5.44), Cichorium intybus (5.14) and Papaver rhoeas (5.00). Due to the low n-6/n-3 ratios of the majority of the samples, they can be considered interesting sources of n-3 fatty acids, especially those with higher total fat amount, such as Bryonia dioica, Chondrilla juncea or Montia fontana, with the highest contents of α-linolenic acid (67.78, 56.27 and 47.65%, respectively). The wild asparaguses of Asparagus acutifolius and Tamus communis stand out for their linoleic acid content (42.29 and 42.45%, respectively). All these features reinforce the interest of including wild plants in diet, as an alternative to the variety of vegetables normally used