Assessing the current use and significance of wild edible plants traditionally gathered in Lebanon : an ethnobotanical study

Thesis, American University of Beirut, 2005Appendix 16 of final reportThe table of contents for this item can be shared with the requester. The requester may then choose one chapter, up to 10% of the item, as per the Fair Dealing provision of the Canadian Copyright ActAn ethnobotanical study was conducted in rural Lebanon between 2002 and 2004. Twenty-five key informants from fourteen towns and villages were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire, the objectives being to find out which wild edible plants are currently known and used and what these plants signify for the users. The informants interviewed mentioned more than 30 edible plants, and described their gathering activities as well as the various methods of preparation involved. We were able to identify 32 of these plants belonging to 18 botanical families. In the past, Lebanese rural communities needed to rely on these plants to supplement their diet in the absence of irrigated agriculture and in times of food shortages. Informants considered that nowadays knowledge and use of these wild edible plants represent an important cultural heritage, a natural, tasty and health promoting addition to meals, and considered gathering to be an enjoyable social activity during the spring months. In addition gathering activities increase for certain Christian communities during Lent. However and in spite of a renewed interest in these plants (triggered by the fear of pesticides and other chemicals), traditional knowledge and gathering of these plants has largely declined during the last four decades. The informants identified factors threatening the state of knowledge of these plants and their use, such as the advancing age of knowledgeable people, urbanization and acculturation, pollution and abandonment of traditional management techniques, and the effect of the Lebanese civil war. The availability of some popular edible species such as Gundelia Tournefortii may be threatened by over harvesting