Floristic Features, Distribution, and Ethnobotany of Plants Gathered and Used by Local People from the Mediterranean Forest in Northern Jordan Oraib Saleh Nawash, Amani Al-Assaf, Ahmad El-Oqlah, and Mohammad Omari Research Abstract -ects in the Mediterranean forest involving local communi ﺧﻠﻔﯾﺔ : ﻓﮭم ﺗوزﯾﻊ واﻟﺧﺻﺎﺋص اﻟﻧﺑﺎﺗﯾﺔ ﻟﻧﺑﺎﺗﺎت اﻟﻐﺎﺑﺎت اﻟﻣﺣﻠﯾﺔ واﻷﺳﺑﺎب اﻟﺗﻲ -ties. The aims of this study were to (1) investigate the dis ﻧدﻓﻊ اﻟﺳﻛﺎن اﻟﻣﺣﻠﯾﯾن ﻟﺟﻣﻌﮭﺎ ذو أھﻣﯾﺔ ﻛﺑﯾرة ﻟﺗﺧطﯾط وﺗﻧﻔﯾذ ﻣﺷﺎرﯾﻊ اﻟﺣﻔﺎظ و (tribution pattern, (2) analyze the floristic features, and (3 إﻋﺎدة ﺗﺄھﯾل اﻟﻐﺎﺑﺎت ﻓﻲ اﻟﻐﺎﺑﺎت اﻟﺑﺣر اﻟﻣﺗوﺳطﯾﺔ ﻣﻊ إﺷراك اﻟﻣﺟﺗﻣﻌﺎت اﻟﻣﺣﻠﯾﺔ investigate the main uses of plants gathered from three ﻓﻲ ھذه اﻟﻌﻣﻠﯾﺎت . Mediterranean forest ecosystems in Northern Jordan. We اﻷھداف (1) دراﺳﺔ ﻧﻣط ﺗوزﯾﻊ (2) ﺗﺣﻠﯾل اﻟﻣﻣﯾزات اﻟﻧﺑﺎﺗﯾﺔ (3) اﻟﺗﺣﻘﯾق ﻓﻲ sampled 14 villages that were selected according to their اﻻﺳﺗﺧداﻣﺎت اﻟرﺋﯾﺳﯾﺔ ﻟﻠﻧﺑﺎﺗﺎت اﻟﺗﻲ ﺗم ﺟﻣﻌﮭﺎ ﻣن ﺛﻼث اﻟﻧظم اﻹﯾﻛوﻟوﺟﯾﺔ location on the edge and within the three Mediterranean ﻟﻠﻐﺎﺑﺎت اﻟﺑﺣر اﻷﺑﯾض اﻟﻣﺗوﺳط ﻓﻲ ﺷﻣﺎل اﻷردن. -forest types in Northern Jordan. Three hundred infor طرق اﻟﺑﺣث : ﺗم اﺧﺗﯾﺎر 14 ﻗرﯾﺔ وﻓﻘﺎ ﻟﻣوﻗﻌﮭﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺣﺎﻓﺔ و داﺧل أﻧواع -mants were interviewed face to face using a semi-struc اﻟﻐﺎﺑﺎت اﻟﻣﺗوﺳطﯾﺔ اﻟﺛﻼث ﻓﻲ اﻟﺟزء اﻟﺷﻣﺎﻟﻲ ﻣن اﻷردن ، و 300 ﻣن اﻟﺳﻛﺎن tured questionnaire. The data obtained included a list of اﻟﻣﺣﻠﯾﯾن وأﺟرﯾت ﻣﻘﺎﺑﻼت وﺟﮭﺎ ﻟوﺟﮫ ﺑﺎﺳﺗﺧدام اﺳﺗﺑﯾﺎن ﺷﺑﮫ ﻣﻧظم . وﺷﻣﻠت -plants collected and their uses. A Detrended Correspon اﻟﺑﯾﺎﻧﺎت اﻟﺗﻲ ﺗم اﻟﺣﺻول ﻋﻠﯾﮭﺎ وﻣﺎ ھﻲ اﻟﻧﺑﺎﺗﺎت اﻟﺗﻲ ﺗم ﺟﻣﻌﮭﺎ وﻣﺎذا ﻋن Detrended Correspondence dence Analysis (DCA) was carried out to investigate theاﻻﺳﺗﻔﺎدة ﻣﻧﮭﺎ. وأﺟري ﺗﺣﻠﯾل distribution of plant species collected from the three forest ﻣن أﺟل اﻟﺗﺣﻘﯾق ﻓﻲ ﺗوزﯾﻊ اﻷﻧواع اﻟﻧﺑﺎﺗﯾﺔ اﻟﺗﻲ ﺗم ﺟﻣﻌﮭﺎ (Analysis (DCA types. Also, important indices were calculated including ﻣن ﺛﻼﺛﺔ أﻧواع اﻟﻐﺎﺑﺎت وﺗم ﺣﺳﺎب ﻣؤﺷرات ﻣﮭﻣﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻋﻠم اﻟﻣﻌرﻓﺔ اﻟﻣﺣﻠﯾﺔ ,(%Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), Fidelity Level (FL ، وﻣﺳﺗوى (ICF)ﻟﻠﻧﺑﺎﺗﺎت ﺑﻣﺎ ﻓﻲ ذﻟك اﺧﺗﺑﺎر اﺟﻣﺎع اﻟﻧﺎس ﻋﻠﻰ اﺳﺗﺧدام ﻣﻌﯾن -FL%.) and uses totaled. The DCA showed that there are com)اﻟدﻗﺔ ﻓﻲ اﺷﺗﻐﻼل ﻧﺑﺎت ﻣﻌﯾن ﻻﺷﺗﺧدام ﻣﻌﯾن -mon plant species gathered intensively from all three for أن ھﻧﺎك ﻧوﻋﺎ ﻣن اﻟﻧﺑﺎﺗﺎت اﻟﺷﺎﺋﻌﺔ اﻟﺗﻲ ﺗم ﺟﻣﻌﮭﺎ DCAاﻟﻧﺗﺎﺋﺞ: أظﮭرت ﻧﺗﺎﺋﺞ ﻣن ﻧوع ﺛﻼﺛﺔ اﻟﻐﺎﺑﺎت ﺑﺷﻛل ﻣﻛﺛف ﻋﻠﻰ ﺳﺑﯾل اﻟﻣﺛﺎل اﻟزﻋﺗر اﻟﺑري و اﻟﻠوف .Malva parviflora L، اﻟﺧﺑﯾزة .Origanum syriacum L وأن ھﻧﺎﻟك ﺑﻌض اﻷﻧواع اﻟﻧﺑﺎﺗﯾﺔ ﺗم ﺟﻣﻌﮭﺎ .Arum palaestinum Boiss Correspondence ﻣن ﻧوع ﻣﻌﯾن ﻣن اﻟﻐﺎﺑﺎت. ﻛﻣﺎ وﺗم اﻷﺟﻣﺎع ﻣن ﻗﺑل اﻟﻌﯾﻧﮫ ﻣن اﻟﺳﻛﺎن اﻟﻣﺣﻠﯾن ﺑﺄن اﻻﺳﺗﺧدام اﻟرﺋﯾﺳﻲ ﻟﻠﻧﺑﺎﺗﺎت اﻟﻣﺣﻠﯾﺔ ھو اﻟﻐذاء وﻣن ﺛم اﻟﻐذاء واﻟدواء. ,Oraib Saleh Nawash, Royal Botanic Garden, P.O. Box 99 اﻻﺳﺗﻧﺗﺎج : ﺑﻧﺎء ﻋﻠﻰ ﻧﺗﺎﺋﺞ اﻟدراﺳﺔ ، ﯾﻘﺗرح أن ﺗﺄﺧذ ﻓﻲ اﻻﻋﺗﺑﺎر ﺳﻠوك ﺟﻣﻊ Amman 11910, JORDAN. [email protected] اﻟﻧﺎس ﻟﻠﻧﺑﺎﺗﺎت اﻟﺣرﺟﯾﺔ اﻟﻣﺣﻠﯾﺔ ااﻟﻣوﺟودة ﻓﻲ ﻧظﺎم اﻟﻐﺎﺑﺎت اﻟﺑﯾﺋﻲ اﻟﮭش ﻗﻲ Amani Al-Assaf, University of Jordan, Faculty of Agriculture, ,Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness ﺑراﻣﺞ اﻟﺣﻔﺎظ ﻋﻠﻰ اﻟﻧظﺎم اﻹﯾﻛوﻟوﺟﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ أﺳﺎس اﺷراك اﻟﺳﻛﺎن اﻟﻣﺣﻠﯾون ﻣن .P.O. Box 791, Amman 11910, JORDAN أﺟل ﺗﺣﻘﯾق اﻻﺳﺗداﻣﺔ اﻟﺑﯾﺋﯾﺔ و ﻣﻧﻊ اﻧﺟراف اﻟﺗﻧوع اﻟﺑﯾوﻟوﺟﻲ. Ahmad El-Oqlah, Royal Botanic Garden, P.O. Box 99, Am- man 11910, JORDAN, and Department of Biological Sci- Abstract ence, Yarmouk University, Irbid, JORDAN. Mohammad Omari, University of Jordan, Faculty of Agricul- ture, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Am- Understanding the distribution and floristic features of na- man, JORDAN. tive forest plants, as well as the reasons that lead local people to collect them, is of great value for planning and Ethnobotany Research & Applications 12:385-396 (2014) implementing forest conservation and rehabilitation proj- Published: 8 September 2014 www.ethnobotanyjournal.org/vol12/i1547-3465-12-385.pdf 386 Ethnobotany Research & Applications est types, namely Origanum syriacum L., Malva parviflo- (Mill.) D.A.Webb, Retama raetam (Forssk.) Webb, ra L., and Arum palaestinum Boiss., and that some plant and occasionally with Quercus infectoria G.Olivier. species are collected from a particular forest type. The This forest type occurs at a lower elevation of 300 m main uses of the collected plants are food and medicine. above sea level. The study results suggest value in taking into account the behavior of people who collect native forest plants when (3) Evergreen oak forest dominated by Quercus coc- designing fragile forest ecosystem restoration programs. cifera L. and associated with P. halepensis, Olea eu- These programs should be community-based in order to ropaea L., Pyrus syriaca Boiss., and Crataegus az- achieve ecosystem sustainability and prevent biodiversity arolus L. and less commonly with Pistacia palaestina erosion. Boiss. and Q. ithaburensis. This forest is located in Ajlune district at 700 m above sea level and includes Introduction the villages of Anjara, Wahdneh, Hashemieh, Ra- soon, Shafa, and Zobia. The Mediterranean region has provided examples of hu- man interactions with plants (ethnobotany sensu Jones These forest areas receive the highest precipitation levels (1941)) over the past decades through studies of col- in Jordan, with annual rainfall amounts ranging from 400 lecting native plants for food and medicine (Aburjai et to 600 mm. The area is bordered by the Irano-Turanian al. 2007, Ali-Shtayeh et al. 2008, El-Darier & El-Mogas- and Sudanian vegetation territories from the west and the pi 2009, Faker et al. 2009, Rigat et al. 2007). Previous Irano-Turanian and Saharo-Arabian vegetation from the ethnobotanical research in the Mediterranean region east (Al-Eisawi 1996). has identified about 2,300 different plant and fungi taxa which are gathered and consumed (Rivera et al. 2006). Jordan’s forest area is less than 1% of the total country. Ethnobotanical data contribute to ecosystem restoration This area is declining both in regard to quality and quantity and forest sustainability management programs that in- due to urbanization, shifting olive cropping at the expense volve all stakeholders including communities surrounding of forests, grazing, and climate change, including the re- forests. This involvement is crucial to achieve the indis- duction and fluctuations of the annual rainfall amounts (Al- pensable target “sustainability,” both through rewarding rababah et al. 2007). Nevertheless, forest ecosystems in people and ecosystems. Choudhary et al. (2008) indicat- Jordan are still providing local people living in the forest ed that today’s ethnobotanical studies, including applied periphery with many valuable ecosystem services such projects, have potential to reduce poverty levels. Thus, as wood, food (e.g., wild mushrooms, wild plants, honey), it is important to define the relationship between people medicinal plants, forage, and other services that support and forest as recommended by Michon et al. (2007), who their living. There are five forest types in Jordan: pine, ev- called for a new concept of land management in which ergreen oak, deciduous oak, juniper, and mixed forests production and conservation are compatible and in which (Kasapligil 1956, Long 1957). The current study investi- there is no choice to be made between people and nature. gated the first three forest types located in the northern Accordingly, this study focused on investigating such a re- part of Jordan. lationship in order to help stakeholders implement effec- tive conservation management plans while also reducing Recently, Jordanian researchers have started to study the the poverty of the local people. ethnobotany of indigenous people in Jordanian ecosys- tems (Aburajai et al. 2007, Afifi & Abu-Irmaileh 2000, Alz- The northern area of Jordan contains three types of for- weiri et al. 2011, Hudaib et al. 2008, Nawash & Al-Horani ests: pine forest, deciduous oak forest, and evergreen 2011, Nawash et al. 2013, Takruri et al. 2008). Most prior oak forest (Al-Eisawi 1996, El-oqlah et al. 1985, Kaspligil studies have focused on traditional medicinal uses (eth- 1956, Lahham et al. 1987, Long 1957, Zohary 1962). nopharmacology) or targeted certain known edible plants used in the Jordanian diet (Tukan et al. 1998). Thus, these (1) Pine forest dominated by Pinus halepensis Mill. studies ignored other uses of plants, collection behaviors and associated with Arbutus andrachne L., Calico- in general, and the potential of this knowledge to improve tome villosa (Poir.) Link, and Cistus creticus L. This livelihoods. Therefore, a great part of knowledge, includ- forest is located in the Jerash district and surrounds ing general use patterns, is still undocumented. The aims the villages of Raymoon, Burma, Nahleh, and Ketah. of this study in particular were to investigate: (1) the most This is the only natural pine forest in Jordan; the other utilized species using Informant Consensus Factors, Fi- pine forests are man-made. The altitude of this forest delity Levels, and Uses Totaled and (2) distributions of is the highest at about 850 m above sea level. species collected in the three forest ecosystems using (2) Deciduous oak forest dominated by Quercus itha- Detrended Correspondence Analysis. The current study burensis Decne. (the national tree of Jordan) and as- is a part of a comprehensive survey investigating the eco- sociated with Pistacia atlantica Desf., Rhamnus pa- system services of three forest ecosystems in Jordan. laestina Boiss., Ceratonia siliqua L., Prunus dulcis www.ethnobotanyjournal.org/vol12/i1547-3465-12-385.pdf Nawash et al. - Floristic Features, Distribution, and Ethnobotany of Plants 387 Gathered and Used from the