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Table 3 Domestic, handicraft and miscellaneous uses of plants in some areas of Calabria (Southern Italy)

From: Contribution to the knowledge of the veterinary science and of the ethnobotany in Calabria region (Southern Italy)

Family, scientific name, local name (voucher specimen)

Used Part

Use

Preparation/Administration

N *

Locality

Habitat

ACERACEAE

      

Acer sp. – occhjiajnu

W

To make spoons

 

1

CI

Ma, Mewo

ANACARDIACEAE

      

Pistacia lentiscus L. – scinu CLU1

Fr,Ap

Ointment

Oil for lamps

5

CI

 
 

Ap

It was used to make brooms and during the funerals in the past

For the use in funerals the leafy branches were put between the coffin and the dead men in order to allow that the corpse could be preserved for a long time

5

CI

Tema

APOCYNACEAE

      

Nerium oleander L.

Br

To make the sling (better with olive-tree)

 

1

AR

To, he

ARALIACEAE

      

Hedera helix L. – L'edira (CI)

Le

To wash hairs (they become shining)

Infusion

1

CT

Wo, wa

CARIOPHYLLA-CEAE

      

Saponaria officinalis L. – saponaria

Le, ro

Detergent

Plant parts were used by the farmers instead of the soap

2

MT, SE

Da, ru

CHENOPODIACEAE

      

Spinacia oleracea L. – spinaci

Ap

To make the garments of black wool shining and bright

To rinse the garments with cooking water

1

AC

 

COMPOSITAE

      

Cynara cardunculus L. subsp. scolymus (L.) Hayek

Le

To make shining dark clothes

Decoction

1

AC

Cu

Inula viscosa (L.) Aiton – spulitru CLU7

Ap

To make brooms

It was collected by elderly people

5

CI

Unc, ru caso

Matricaria chamomilla L. – galumedda, camomilla

Fh

To wash blond hairs

Decoction

1

CS

Cu, ru

CORNACEAE

      

Cornus sanguinea L. – russula, sanguinella

W

To make tools for kitchen (spoons, goblets etc.) and collars for goats

 

1

CI

Wo, edwo

EUPHORBIACEAE

      

Euphorbia amygdaloides L. – tutumagghu – CLU11

La

Child practice

Children used to spread with latex wounds or mucous membranes, only to widen that part and as test of endurance of the pain. The latex provokes swelling of the sex male organ, with persistent pain

5

CI

Oawo*

FAGACEAE

      

Castanea sativa Miller – castagno CLU12

Frb

To wash the hairs

Decoction

2

MT, SE

Oawo*

GRAMINEAE

      

Arundo donax L. – canna CLU14

St

Stake in kitchen gardens/vineyards

 

5

CI

Di, edwa

 

St

To make baskets (see Olea europaea subsp. oleaster)

 

1

CI

 

HYPOLEPIDACEAE

      

Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn – filici CLU16

Ap

It was used for its aroma by the herdsmen to wrap dairy products

 

5

CI

Cle,da, edro

JUGLANDACEAE

      

Juglans regia L. – noce CLU17

Hu

To dye hairs

Infusion or decoction

5

CI

Wo, di

LABIATAE

      

Salvia officinalis L. CLU21

Le

It was used to obtain white teeth

Leaves were rubbed on the teeth

5

CI

Drme, ru

LEGUMINOSAE

      

Lupinus albus L. – lupino

Ep

Fertilizer

It's buried underground in the vineyards because it "would strengthen" the grapevines

1

AC

Cu, ru

Phaseolus vulgaris L. – fagiuoli

Se

To wash woollen and cotton coloured clothes

Decoction with pods and shelled beans to brighten up and to fix the colours

1

AC

 

Spartium junceum L. CLU23

Br

Domestic and agricultural use

To make brooms and laces for vines

5

CI

 
 

Br

Domestic use

To make brooms, hides and shelters for cattle

5

SC, CT, SS, SG

 
 

Br

Textile use

In the first post-war period, not having available enough clothes, the branches of the broom were weaved. The plant, after gathering, was kept in the running water of torrents ("fiumare"); then it was beaten on the stones of these streams, and was dried in the sun. Successively it was combed to extract an excellent fibre, the one that the elder women wove for their family. Also bags and carpets were made with it.

5

CI

 

MORACEAE

      

Ficus carica L. CLU28

Fr ('pas-si-luni'),

Magical use: for being sure not come in contact with snakes for an entire year. If in the case, snakes would not bitten

Fruits gathered on the ground or dried to the sun were kept by grandmothers and given to eat in May 1° rigorously (this practice assured what exposed in 'use')

5

CI

Ru, wa

OLEACEAE

      

Olea europaea L.

Br

To make the sling and spoons

 

1

AR

Cu

Olea europaea L. subsp. oleaster (Hoffmans & Link) Negodi – u ghjastru

Br

Baskets for bread, desserts, clothes for washing; "sporte", containers for vintage; "panàri", baskets to gather fruit, once indispensable trousseau of brides

Baskets are made together with Arundo donax slices and Clematis vitalba stems. Reeds are gathered in January and cut to strips in August. In this month C. vitalba and wild olive-tree young branches ("vrinchi") are collected and put in water for 2 days. The higher edges of the baskets are made with the branches of wild olive-tree.

1

CI

Ma

Phillyrea latifolia L.

W

To make collars for animals; good fuel

See proverbs in the text

5

CI

Ma

RANUNCULACEAE

      

Clematis vitalba L. – viteriva

St

To make baskets (see Olea europaea subsp. oleaster)

 

1

CI

Wo, ma

ROSACEAE

      

Pyrus communis L. – pero; pirajnu (the wild pear tree)

W

To make the dish ("coppa") of the poor men. Also the wood of wild pear tree was used.

A big trunk was chosen, it was divided in half along its axis and then it was carved with some tools ("gajru" and "martelletta"). This wood was very hard.

1

CI

Cu

SALICACEAE

      

Populus sp.

W

To make collars for cows

 

1

CI

Edwa

Salix sp.

W

To make collars for cows (if poplar not was found)

 

1

CI

Edwa

SCROPHULARIA-CEAE

      

Verbascum thapsus L. V. phlomoides L. – tassu

Le

To make wicks for oil lamps

 

2

MT, SE

Drme

 

St

They were used to light the fire in old ovens for the bread

 

2

MT,SE

 

UMBELLIFERAE

      

Ferula communis L. – feddurazzu CLU39

St

To make bungs for barrels, flasks and sculptures; once it was also used by the artisans to make chairs and baskets

The dry stem is cut by the farmers. It is employed still today from the elderly in the local handicraft

2

CI

Ru, ro, unc

Pimpinella anisum L. – anice

Fr

They can be used as bait

Food for fishes

1

AC

Cu

URTICACEAE

      

Parietaria officinalis L., P. diffusa Mert. et Koch. – erba vetriola

Ap

To clean glasses, bottles and demijohns put in pulping

To rub the aerial part with water

4

MT, SE CT, SS

 

Urtica dioica L. – ardicela CLU40

Ap

To wash clothes and wools

Decoction

2

MT,SE

 

VERBENACEAE

      

Vitex agnus castus L. – vrigna marina CLU41

Br

Farmers utilized them to make peculiar baskets ("sporteddi")

Dry branches

5

CI

Da, sa, to

VITACEAE

      

Vitis vinifera L. – vite

Br

Branches ("sarmienti") to soothe the pain (magical ritual)

An odd number of trimmed shoots (or their decoction) to put on the stomach of the patient

1

AC

Cu

  1. * = citations
  2. Localities: AC Acri; AR Ardore; CI Cirò; CS Castrovillari; CT Cittanova; MT Montauro; SC Scilla; SE S.Elia; SG S.Giorgio Morgeto; SS S.Stefano di Aspromonte
  3. Plant parts used: Ap aerial part; Ep entire plant; Fh flower heads; Fr fruit; Frb fruit bark; Hu husk; La latex; Le leaves; Ro root; Se seeds; St stem; W wood.
  4. Habitat: Caso calcareous soils near to the water; Cle clearings; Cu cultivated species or cultivations; Da damp areas; Di ditches; Drme dry meadows; Edro edges of roads; Edwa edges of water-courses; Edwo edges of woods; He hedges; Ma maquises; Mewo mesophile woods; Oawo* oak woods included Q. cerris woods; Ro rocks; Ru ruins; Sa sandy places (grounds); Tema termophile maquises; To along torrents; Unc uncultivated areas; Wa walls; Wo woods.