Ethnobotanical knowledge and nutritional properties of two edible wild plants from Central Italy: <i>Tordylium apulum</i> L. and <i>Urospermum dalechampii</i> (L.) F.W. Schmid

Abstract

Edible wild plants have provided an important source of food since time immemorial and have continued to do so until the present day. The study aimed to evaluate ethnobotanical uses and nutraceutical properties of Tordylium apulum L. and Urospermum dalechampii (L.) F.W. Schmidt. The ethnobotanical data collected showed that knowledge of these two species was not limited to alimentary use, but also included folk medicinal properties. Data obtained by nutraceutical analysis demonstrated how these species contain many of the so-called minor nutrients, such as carotenoids, tocopherol, and polyphenols. Furthermore in a comparison with some cultivated species, these species showed higher calcium, iron, and phosphorus values. T. apulum also showed significant vitamin A, polyphenol and ORAC values.

Keywords

• edible wild plants EWP
• nutraceutical properties
• antioxidant capacity
• ethnobotany
• local knowledge