Household dyeing plants and traditional uses in some areas of Italy.
BACKGROUND
This paper reports the results of investigations carried out from 1977 to today in some areas of Italy (Latium, Marche, Abruzzo and to a limited extent in Sardinia) concerning traditional uses of dyeing plants in the household.


RESULTS
Twenty-nine plants are described, distributed in 23 families, and for each species the vernacular name, the way it is used and the locations of traditional use are given. Other plants used in the past in the above-mentioned regions are recalled.


CONCLUSIONS
Among the new findings--not mentioned in previous literature, see references--is Muscari neglectum (purplish). Nowadays atavistic dye uses still persist only in Nule (Sardinia).
Guarrera
Paolo Maria
PM
Museo Nazionale Arti e Tradizioni Popolari, Piazza Marconi 8-10, 00144 Rome, Italy. pmguarrera@arti.beniculturali.it
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004396:Coloring Agents; D019448:Ethnobotany; D005260:Female; D006795:Household Products; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D028321:Plant Preparations; D018514:Plant Structures
D004396:Coloring Agents; D028321:Plant Preparations