title: Traditional uses of medicinal plants in Valvestino (Italy).
abstract: This paper reports the results of a survey concerning folk uses of medicinal plants in Valvestino (Brescia, Italy). The features of this area, recognized by European Union as "Site of Community interest", allowed the preservation of the ethnobotanical traditions. We have documented the use of 58 species belonging to 30 families by interviewing 54 villagers of a mean age of 72 years. The dominant families are Asteraceae (10 species), Pinaceae and Rosaceae (5 species, respectively); the most common preparations are infusion and decoction. Three plants have been mentioned for treatment of animals, some species are employed in cookery. The study, carried out for the first time in this valley, gathered information about traditional remedies, before they are completely lost. All the interesting species have been transplanted to the G. E. Ghirardi Botanical Garden for the ex situ conservation.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 26, 20133 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vitalini
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tomè
authors.forename: Gelsomina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fico
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005495:Folklore; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007558:Italy; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018514:Plant Structures; D010945:Plants, Edible; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
chemical_list: D028321:Plant Preparations