title: A survey of wild plant species for food use in Sicily (Italy) - results of a 3-year study in four Regional Parks.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This paper illustrates the results of a study carried out in four Regional Parks of Sicily (Italy), concerning traditional knowledge on food use of wild plant species. The main aims of the paper were: (i) to verify which wild plant species are used for food purpose in the local culture based on information provided by elderly inhabitants (ii) to verify the presence of wild plant species which have not been cited for food use in previous studies in the Mediterranean area (iii) to determine how many of the most frequently cited wild plant species are cultivated by the local population in the four Sicilian Parks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured interviews were carried out in the local communities of the four Regional Parks between 2007 and 2010. A total of 802 people over the age of 60 were interviewed. Cultural Importance Index was used to evaluate the level of importance given to any wild plant species as a food in the local culture. The level of appreciation of the wild plant species and the possible effects of wild plants on human health were also investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Local communities currently use a total number of 119 wild species for food purposes. Asteraceae and Brassicaceae were the most represented botanical families. In each of the four Sicilian Parks, Cichorium intybus L. and Foeniculum vulgare Mill. obtained the highest Cultural Importance Index values. Sixty-four species were indicated as also having medicinal properties. Leaves and other aerial plant parts were the parts most-used for the preparation of traditional recipes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The research shows that the level of traditional knowledge on the food uses of wild plant species in the study area is poor. The food uses of plants which are most likely to survive over time are those at the interface of food and medicine. Further agronomic studies are needed for a number of species with a view to introducing them as a crop into non-intensive agricultural systems.
authors: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 13, 90128, Palermo, Italy. mario.licata@unipa.it.
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Licata
authors: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 13, 90128, Palermo, Italy. teresa.tuttolomondo@unipa.it.
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Tuttolomondo
authors: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 13, 90128, Palermo, Italy. claudio.leto@unipa.it.
authors: Claudio
authors: C
authors: Leto
authors: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 13, 90128, Palermo, Italy. giuseppe.virga25@unipa.it.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Virga
authors: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 13, 90128, Palermo, Italy. g.bonsangue@unipa.it.
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Bonsangue
authors: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 13, 90128, Palermo, Italy. ignazio.cammalleri@unipa.it.
authors: Ignazio
authors: I
authors: Cammalleri
authors: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 13, 90128, Palermo, Italy. m.cristina_gennaro@live.it.
authors: Maria Cristina
authors: MC
authors: Gennaro
authors: Department of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze 13, 90128, Palermo, Italy. salvatore.labella@unipa.it.
authors: Salvatore
authors: S
authors: La Bella
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019448:Ethnobotany; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010945:Plants, Edible; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012802:Sicily; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D028321:Plant Preparations