International Journal of Advances in Science Engineering and Technology, ISSN(p): 2321 –8991, ISSN(e): 2321 –9009 Volume-6, Issue-1, Jan.-2018, http://iraj.in ETHNOBOTANICAL STUDY OF WILD EDIBLE IN PELAGONIA REGION (SOUTHWESTERN MACEDONIA)

1BESNIK REXHEPI, 2ANI BAJRAMI, 3BEHXHET MUSTAFA

1Professor, University of Tetova, Street Ilindennn 1200, Tetovo, Macedonia 2Professor, University of Tirana, Boulevard “Dëshmorët e Kombit”.Square “Mother Teresa” no. 183, 1001, Tirana, Albania 3Professor, University of Prishtina “HasanPrishtina” Str. “Mother Teresa” nn, 10000 Prishtina, Kosovo Email: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Abstract - An ethnobotanical study was conducted from March 2015 to November 2016 to investigate the traditional uses of wild edible plants in 23 villages of Pelagonia region (Southwestern Macedonia). Data for 94 species were collected through face-to-face interviewing and focus group discussion with 78 locally recognized knowledgeableelders over 60 ages of diverse ethnic groups (Macedonians and Albanians). Information about three main different methods of consumption (food, beverages and bread of yogurt starters) were recorded and compared. In this study most commonly used family was Rosaceae followed by Lamiaceae and . Present study indicated that many these elders in Pelagonia region still continue to depend on resources to meet their day-to-day needs for food. But now, all three ethnic groups are progressing towards modernization; their knowledge of traditional use of plants might be lost. Therefore conservation of such heritage is warranted.

Index terms - Wild Edible Plants (WEPs), Ethnobotany, Food culture, Pelagonia Region, Macedonia.

I. INTRODUCTION II. MATERIAL AND METHODS

Plants are irreplaceable food resources for humans 2.1 Location and study area [3]. The question of how people obtain, prepare, and Republic of Macedonia is located in the central part use food is one of the most important lines of inquiry of the Balkan Peninsula, while the Pelagonija Region in anthropology as well in ethnobotany. A traditional (PR) is located in the southwestern part of the food system concerns the types of food included in Republic of Macedonia. On south it borders with the traditional diets, but also how societies traditionally Republic of Greece and on southwest with the obtain food, combine different food items, process Republic of Albania [7]. It consists of the Bitola and and prepare food [1]. Given how essential food is for Prilep fields in the Republic of Macedonia, the basin our biological survival, the ways that we culturally of Crna Reka and its tributaries and the Lerin field in define and obtain it plays a huge role in shaping the the Republic of Greece. The PR is surrounded by the world that we inhabit [10]. mountains Baba, Busheva Planina from west, Dautica and Babuna from north, Selechka Planina and Nidje Therefore, throughout the paper, we pay particular from east, while from south and southwest is attention to the impact on health and health seeking surrounded by the slopes of Neredska Planina which behavior, as food and health are intimately linked [1]. is on the territory of the Republic of Greece [7]. The However, the process of transformation and urban area mostly with traditional town (Bitola, modernization of food habits and the cultural and Prilep, Krushevo, Resen and Demir Hisar) cover religious value of food [1] has not been documented 1.7% of the total area of the region, while the in the Macedonian literature. Furthermore, the level remaining area is rural and consist of 338 rural of traditional knowledge regarding WEPs in the settlements. The region is comprised of 9 research region has not been considered so far as municipalities (Bitola, Prilep, Resen, Dolneni, quite significant which is in conflict with two major Krusevo, Demir Hisar, Mogila, Krivogastani and issues such are the “momentum” of gathering WEPs Novaci). at the appropriate stage of growth and diverse The PR has a rich cultural – historical heritage of “methods of preparations”. Contrary to this almost in different kind. Especially can be mentioned the all countries in Balkan Peninsula from ethnobotanical archaeological site Heraklea, the town architecture in perspectives have been very popular research subjects Bitola, the traditional architecture in Krushevo, as [5, 11-24, 26]. well as the number of churches, monasteries, urban and rural monumental units. The natural heritage is Therefore, this paper contributes to our understanding presented through the national parks, numerous of how local people i.e ethnic groups from Pelagonia natural monuments like Prespa Lake, the towers Region select WEPs and provides information Markovi Kuli, some natural reserves, caves. The concerning the use of native and introduced species variety of cultural – historical and natural heritage that is expected to be useful in food culture and provides a high potential for development of different traditional knowledge conservation planning. types of tourism (lake, mountain, monastery, adventurous, rural) On the territory of PR there are

Ethnobotanical Study of Wild Edible Plants in Pelagonia Region (Southwestern Macedonia)

61 International Journal of Advances in Science Engineering and Technology, ISSN(p): 2321 –8991, ISSN(e): 2321 –9009 Volume-6, Issue-1, Jan.-2018, http://iraj.in two national parks. Pelister National Park and a part salads uses of food plants, while subcategory of the National Park Galichica, which are a huge “cooked” food also sub classified in seasoning, tourism developing potential for improving of the boiled, fried, roasted and baked uses. The effect of region economy. The average altitude is between 540 age has been explained by Araújo and Lopes [2], and 610 meters in the Bitola field, and 615 and 710 stating that living in a certain environment for longer meters altitude in the Prilep field [7]. time increases the chances of using a resource and PR has agricultural land with an area of 276. 777ha. thus accumulating knowledge of local plants. The Thereof 117.770 ha are an arable agricultural land, collected data from each ethnic group has been and the remaining 159.007 ha - pastures. The compared by using Fidelity Level according to structure of arable land - plowed fields and gardens Friedman et al. (1986) [6]. FL was used to indicate participate with 83%. As industry, the agriculture how often a certain plant is reported within an ethnic accounts for 4% of production and 5% of total group for a certain use. Most of the collected employment in the region. The total forest area in specimens were identified in the field, whereas others 2014 was 143.545 ha or 14.6% of total forest land. were identified with the help of standard literature of the Flora of Macedonia [14]. The collected specimens were made into herbariums and are deposited in the Department of Biology at University of Tetova, Macedonia. The field study followed the Code of Ethics of the International Society of Ethnobiology (ISE 2006) and prior informed consent was obtained prior to conducting interviews [9].

2.3. Ethnographic background The study region is inhabited by a two major ethnic groups and relations among them have never been good. Notwithstanding the fact that the region has historically earned such a reputation for clashes and Figure 1 Map of research localities (23) (Researched localities; number of informants per locality and antagonism, the fact is that it has been an important gender) bridge and site for transferring knowledge among and 2.2 Methods between groups. Currently, the main ethnic groups in An ethnobotanical survey on WEPs was conducted in the region are Macedonian Slavs, who descended nine municipalities of the PR in Macedonia. Regular from the peoples who arrived in the Balkan in the visits in 23 villages were made during the period sixth and seventh centuries; they are predominately of March 2015 to November 2016. The information Christian Orthodox faith. The Muslim community is about 94 specimens was collected through face-to- the second largest group in the region and is made up face interviewing and focus group discussion with 78 mainly of Albanians. It is generally accepted that the locally recognized knowledgeable elders over 60 ages Albanians are an indigenous nation (ethno-linguistic of diverse two ethnic groups: Macedonians Orthodox group) of the Balkans and Southeastern Europe as (nineteen females and nineteen males) and Albanians well. The national ideology insists on an unequivocal Muslims (nineteen females and nineteen males). The ethnic relationship with the ancient Illyrians [25]. benefit of this combined approach is that it provides a richer collection base of information and yields a 2.4 Species enumeration deeper insight into the phenomenon under study. The plants are arranged alphabetically as per their During the field research, we asked participants to botanical names, family names in bracket and enumerate all wild plants they know and are edible voucher. These are followed by the local name [4]. The informants interviewed by the first author, (ethno-), plant parts used and food uses were asked to answer the following question: which (table 1). is the local name of the plant and which parts of plants are used. Then concretely the residents were III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS asked to provide information on food uses which were divided into three main categories: I) food; II) The flora of PR provides diverse and useful food beverages and III) bread or yogurt starters. The first species. This considerable and significant, cultural category contains information on three main and floral diversity enabled us to identify more than subcategories a) raw; b) cooked and c) fermented or 270 use(s) of a total of 94 plant species belonging to pickled plant use(s), while the second category which xx families as being used in traditional food practices. was divided in three main subcategories contains on In our findings, the most highly represented families liquors, teas or decoctions and fermented beverages were Rosaceae (22 species), Lamiaceae (14 species) and the last category was based on concrete data for and Asteraceae (13 species). From the overall taxa bread or yogurt starters. The subcategory “raw” is sub the first category is represented by 84 taxa while the classified and contains information for snack and second by 58 and third only by 3 taxa.

Ethnobotanical Study of Wild Edible Plants in Pelagonia Region (Southwestern Macedonia)

62 International Journal of Advances in Science Engineering and Technology, ISSN(p): 2321 –8991, ISSN(e): 2321 –9009 Volume-6, Issue-1, Jan.-2018, http://iraj.in (49 reports), Melissa officinalis L. (162 reports), Mentha longifolia (L). Huds (184 reports), Mentha piperita L. (255 reports), Mentha spicata L. (63 reports), Origanum vulgare L. (160 reports), Satureja hortensis L. (46 reports), Teucrium montanum L. (239 reports) and Thymus serpyllum L. (196 reports). Secondly the species belonging to the Asteraceae family such as, some species of the Asteraceae, such as Matricaria chamomilla L. (270 reports), Achillea millefolium L. (264 reports), Artemisia absinthium L. (248 reports), and cannabinum L., (33 reports), than some species of the Rosaceae: Rosa canina L. (136 reports), Rubus caesius L. (207 Table 1 Useful WEPs of PR reports), and Rubus fruticosus agg. L. (216 reports), two species of Orchidaceae Orchis morio L. (163 Shortcuts: SN=snack; SA=salads; SE=seasoning; reports) and Orchis laxiflora L. (86 reports). Other BO=boiled; FR=fried; RO=roasted; BA=baked; species frequently utilized as seasoning are Allium FB=fermented beverages; LI=liquors; TDI=teas or ursinum L. (196 reports), Ficus carica L. (147 decoctions and infusions; x= no information from key reports), Heracleum sphondylium L. (41 reports), informants. Malva silvestris L. (102 reports), Nymphaea alba L. (2 reports), Oxalis acetosella L. (184 reports), 3.1 Models of consumption of WEPs under three Polygonum persicaria S.F.Gray (12 reports) and main categories Urtica dioica L. (262 reports). As shown in the tables 2 and 3 in PR, WEPs are consumed in many different ways. Some of them Sub classification: Boiled need only the washing of the part of the plant to be From a total of 42 species the most frequently quoted eaten, and some others imply a more or less complex species in this sub classification are Prunus cerasifera preparation process. (213 reports) and Cornus mas (204 reports). These two species have been and still are today, part of the 3.2 Category I: Food most common way to start a new day (first meal). This category is represented by total reported of 174 The fruits of Rumex acetosa (146 reports), Urtica uses. dioica (151 reports) and Oxalis acetosella (98 reports) 3.2.1 Subcategory a) raw were also reported to be particularly consumed in the Sub classification: Snacks form of pie. In PR Black Mulberry (95 reports) is not More than half of the cited taxa (30) belonging to consumed only as fresh but also is used to produce Rosaceae family used as snacked plants reported in jam and marmalades. Finally the tubers of the Orchis this paper are fruits, followed by the root and leaves. morio are reported by 44 residents to be used Almost all snacked plants were eaten in outdoor especially during the winter. conditions without prior processing. Out of 30 wild species used as seasonal snack Cornus mas, Sub classification: Fried Crataegus monogyna and Vaccinium myrtillus were From a total of 5 species the most frequently species most frequently reported species. is Corylus avellana (45 reports). The consumption of the Allium ursinum (91 reports), Daucus carota (44 Sub classification: Salads reports), Juglans regia (16 reports), Pistacia Out of 32 wild species used as salads Oxalis terebinthus (3 reports), seems to be very uncommon. acetosella with total 266 reports and Rumex acetosa with 163 reports were the most frequently reported Sub classification: Roasted species. Among cites species in this sub classification The following species Castanea sativa (254 reports), most popular were salads made from the leaves Cydonia oblonga (136 reports), Cornus mas (14 (Oxalis acetosella, Allium scorodoprasum and Rumex reports), Daucus carota (68 reports), Ficus carica (16 acetosa) flower (Taraxacum officinale and Bellis reports), Urtica dioica (9 reports) Pistacia terebinthus perennis) and root (Nymphae aalba, Orchis laxiflora (1 reports) and Prunus cerasifera (1 reports) which are and Eupatorium cannabinum). reported as roasted belonging to the different families. Among them the most uncommon use can 3.2.2 Subcategory b) Cooked be consider the common nettle. Sub classification: Seasoning The sub classification “seasoning” include uses of 27 Sub classification: Baked species. Out of this as most frequently cited are From the overall 94 taxa only two 2 species Ficus species of Lamiaceae family, such as Hyssopus carica (4 reports) and Heracleum sphondylium (3 officinalis L. (52 reports), Lamium galeobdolon L. reports) are reported as baked.

Ethnobotanical Study of Wild Edible Plants in Pelagonia Region (Southwestern Macedonia)

63 International Journal of Advances in Science Engineering and Technology, ISSN(p): 2321 –8991, ISSN(e): 2321 –9009 Volume-6, Issue-1, Jan.-2018, http://iraj.in 3.4 Category III: Bread oryogurtstarters For the last category we have only three data. One of them is outer pericarp layer (husk) of Juglans regia reported from 3 residents to be used as a bread starter. Second cited plants is Sempervivum macedonicum reported by one resident also to be used as bread starters and Rubus idaeus (2 reports) to be used as yogurt starters.

Figure 2Number of uses reported per each subcategory and sub-classification in food category

Subcategory c) fermented or pickled In this subcategory were reported the use(s) of 7 species among which Cyclamen purpurascens Mill. (41 reports) is reported as Threatened Species under IUCN Red List due to the overexploitation. Other species reported are Cornus mas, Ficus carica, Figure 3 Number of uses per each subcategory under Pistacia terebinthus, Prunus avium, Prunus cerasifera beaverages category and Prunus persica L. 3.5Cross-cultural comparison among four ethnic 3.3 Category II: Beverages groups This category is represented by total reported of 174 Our cross-cultural approach of the study relies on a uses. comparison of data across ethnic groups. The overlap for all use-categories quoted in the field study shows 3.3.1 Subcategory: fermented beverages that the four ethnic groups share some similar Compared to some studies conducted in Europe [27] knowledge of plant uses between them (more than in Macedonia most of the plants used for making 50% common uses). The Orthodox Macedonians and beverages belonging to the Rosaceae family. From Serbs showed idiosyncratic use with both Muslim the total 22 reported uses the most frequently cited Albanians and Turks. species were: Alchemilla alpestris (13 reports), Alchemila vulgaris (11 reports), Gymnadenia conopsea (3 reports) and Inula helenium (1 reports)

3.3.2 Subcategory: teas or decoctions From the previous ethnobotanical researches in Macedonia it is well-known fact that many wild food Figure 4 Four-Circle Venn diagram showing overlaps of plants are also used for medicinal purposes [23]. differences and similarities between four ethnic groups. [x] Altogether 47 species were reported to be used as tea Symbol shows use(s) cited only by one ethnic group. or decoctions. From them the most frequently species were Thymus serpyllum (251 report), Achillea CONCLUSIONS millefolium (242 reports), Rosa canina (239 reports), Sambucus nigra (211 reports), Artemisia absinthum There is no doubt that WEPs utilization in Pelagonia (192 reports), Matricaria chamomila (183 reports), region is affected by culture of each ethnic group, Capsella bursa pastoris (98 reports) and Mentha their religion and traditional knowledge in various piperita (96 reports). ways. Another determinant of WEPs utilization is related to health. Based on the analysis of the results 3.3.3 Subcategory: liquors we can conclude that local WEPs can be more This subcategory represents a strong cultural element effective than introduced species regarding for each ethnic group. Knowledge related to this issue conservation mainly because the local environmental is transferred from generation to generation and “shock” is lower. We believe that thus ethnobotanical represent traditional ethnobiological knowledge. The documentation on WEPs use(s) should not be viewed ways of preparing liquors are from the usual ones up in isolation because we think that they should be to very extreme by using Musca domestica L. as taken into account from government agencies and fermentation fly to produce liquors. The subcategory institutions when designing and implementing food is represented by 24 species. security policies. Nevertheless, if we refer to the

Ethnobotanical Study of Wild Edible Plants in Pelagonia Region (Southwestern Macedonia)

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