Table 3 Evaluation of the 15 most salient plant taxa mentioned in free lists, following the Smith’s salience (S) value and their stated uses in Tyrol, Australia, Brazil and Peru

Tyrol

Brennessel

Urtica dioica L.

Urticaceae

blood cleansing, iron source, food, genitourinary system, hair care, prostate, vitamin provider

80

12

11

7

0.608

0.33

1

4

Arnika

Arnica montana L.

Asteraceae

apoplectic stroke, athlete’s foot, blood circulation, aches, body tension, decongestant, injuries, lumbago, rheumatism, soothing, sore muscles, sprains, stimulant

80

12

12

4

0.6

0.26

2

5

Frauenmantel

Alchemilla spp.

Asteraceae

female disorders, genitourinary system disorders, menopausal problems, wounds

80

12

12

3

0.512

0.2

3

6

Spitzwegerich

Plantago lanceolata L.

Plantaginaceae

animal fodder, cough, croakiness, heart, haemostasis, insect bites, throat, wounds,

80

12

13

4

0.481

0.27

4

5

Salbei

Salvia officinalis L.

Lamiaceae

antibiotic, breastfeeding, cough, fumigant, gargle, kitchen herb, oral mucus, sore throat, stomach

60

9

13

4

0.479

0.27

5

5

Kamille

Matricaria chamomilla L.

Asteraceae

anti-inflammatory, calmative, disinfection, immune system, intestines, relaxation, stomach, universal remedy, wellbeing

80

12

16

6

0.474

0.4

6

3

Johanniskraut

Hypericum perforatum L.

Hypericaceae

antidepressant, burns, depression, ear pain, nervous system, relaxation, sedative, skin and nail care, sun burn, throat ache, well-being

60

9

16

6

0.43

0.4

7

4

Schafgarbe

Achillea millefolium L.

Asteraceae

anticonvulsant, blood cleansing, digestive effect, female disorders, genitourinary system, herbal tonic, influenza, stomach problems, veterinary use

67

10

11

7

0.361

0.47

8

2

Pfefferminze

Mentha x piperita L.

Lamiaceae

aromatic, breastfeeding, cold, cough, headache, increasing blood pressure, sedative, stomach, revitalising

60

9

9

6

0.361

0.4

9

3

Holunder

Sambucus nigra L.

Adoxaceae

bladder infection, cough, drink, fever, fumigant, food, headache, immune system, inflammation, influenza, insect bites, universal remedy, vitamins

67

10

19

8

0.323

0.53

10

1

Tyrol

Huflattich

Tussilago farfara L.

Asteraceae

blood cleansing, cold, cough

47

7

7

3

0.314

0.2

11

6

Loewenzahn

Taraxacum officinale L.

Asteraceae

cough, blood cleansing, digestion, drink, food, spice, stomach, vitamins

53

8

12

4

0.308

0.27

12

5

Thymian, Quendel

Thymus spp.

Lamiaceae

bronchitis, chest, cold, cosmetic, cough, cramps, fragrance, fumigant, kitchen herb, lungs, relaxation, revitalising

40

6

14

5

0.28

0.33

13

4

Himmelschlüssel

Primula veris L.

Primulaceae

anti-inflammatory, chest, cough, headache, lungs, minerals, throat

53

8

9

5

0.273

0.33

14

4

Rosmarin

Rosmarinus officinalis L.

Lamiaceae

activating, cardio vascular system, drink, kitchen herb, refreshing, stimulating, revitalising, warming

53

8

8

3

0.261

0.2

15

6

Australia

Kamille

Matricaria chamomilla L.

Asteraceae

calmative, cold, cold sores, eye cleaning, nausea, sedative, stomach ache, universal remedy, wellbeing

75

15

16

6

0.551

0.3

1

1

Arnika

Arnica montana L.

Asteraceae

anti-inflammatory, bones, burns, bruises, cleansing, joints, massage, wounds

60

12

12

4

0.475

0.2

2

3

Salbei

Salvia officinalis L.

Lamiaceae

anti-inflammatory, cold, digestion, drink, kitchen herb, stomach, sore throat

40

8

8

4

0.273

0.2

3

3

Pfefferminze

Mentha x piperita L.

Lamiaceae

chest, cooling, digestive, sedative, stomach, throat

50

10

10

4

0.263

0.2

4

3

Aloe Vera

Aloe spp.

Asphodelaceae

bites, burns, cleansing, dermatophytes, insects, herbal tonic, sunburn, wounds

35

7

8

4

0.232

0.2

5

3

Brennessel

Urtica dioica L.

Urticaceae

circulation system, cleansing, food, revitalising

35

7

9

3

0.164

0.15

6

4

Knoblauch

Allium sativum L.

Amaryllidaceae

blood cleansing, cold, spice, universal remedy

35

7

9

5

0.152

0.25

7

2

Holunder

Sambucus nigra L.

Adoxaceae

cold, drink, fever

25

5

6

3

0.146

0.15

8

4

Johanniskraut

Hypericum perforatum L.

Hypericaceae

blood cleansing, fear, panic attack, relaxation, skin care, stress, sunburn

15

3

4

2

0.132

0.1

9

5

Linde

Tilia spp.

Tiliaceae

cold, fever, nerves, relaxing, wellbeing

20

4

4

4

0.122

0.2

10

3

Spitzwegerich

Plantago lanceolata L.

Plantaginaceae

bronchitis, throat

15

3

3

1

0.121

0.05

11

6

Australia

Ginger

Zingiber officinale Roscoe

Zingiberaceae

cold, immune system, stomach

15

3

3

3

0.114

0.15

12

4

Hagebutte

Rosa canina L.

Rosaceae

calmative, drink, nervous system, refreshment, skin care, wellbeing,

20

4

5

3

0.112

0.15

13

4

Zwiebel

Allium cepa L.

Amaryllidaceae

antipyretic, cold, inflammation, lungs

15

3

3

3

0.101

0.15

14

4

Wachholder

Juniperus communis L.

Cupressaceae

bladder infection, spice

10

2

2

2

0.1

0.1

15

5

Brazil

Babosa°

Aloe arborescens Mill.

Asphodelaceae

abscess, burns, cancer, cardialgia, digestive effects, hair care, injuries, stomach, sun burns, universal remedy, thrombosis, ulcer, herbal tonic, liver, wooden splinter, wounds

81

13

6

13

0.64

0.4

1

1

Aloe variegata L.

Aloe vera (L.) Burm. F.

Camomila

Matricaria chamomilla L.

Asteraceae

digestion, inflammation, influenza, stomach ache, wounds

56

9

10

4

0.415

0.27

2

2

Macela

Achyrocline satureioides (Lam.) DC.

Asteraceae

digestion, high blood pressure, stomach ache, wound cleansing

56

9

10

6

0.347

0.4

3

1

Carqueja°

Baccharis articulata (Lam.) Pers.

Asteraceae

diuretic, high blood pressure, strain, joint pain, weight reduction

44

7

6

3

0.313

0.2

4

3

Baccharis trimera (Less.) DC

Losna

Artemisia absinthium L.

Asteraceae

digestive, headache, itchiness, stomach

31

5

4

1

0.218

0.27

5

5

Calendula

Calendula officinalis L.

Asteraceae

relaxation, wounds

31

5

4

2

0.185

0.13

6

4

Cipó mil homens

Aristolochia triangularis Cham.

Aristolochiaceae

diarrhoea, internal organs, stomach ache

25

4

4

1

0.175

0.06

7

5

Hortelã

Mentha spp.

Lamiaceae

cough, sedative

25

4

4

2

0.173

0.13

8

2

Alecrim

Rosmarinus officinalis L.

Lamiaceae

calmative, heart

19

3

2

2

0.17

0.13

9

4

Brazil

Erva cidreira

Hyptis althaeifolia Pohl ex Benth.

Lamiaceae

influenza, relaxation, sedative, stomach

19

3

1

1

0.161

0.06

10

5

Lippia alba var. globiflora (L’Hér.) Moldenke

Verbenaceae

Melissa officinalis L.

Lamiaceae

Quebra pedra

Phyllanthus niruri L.

Euphorbiaceae

diuretic, kidneys

25

4

3

1

0.16

0.06

11

5

Urtiga°

Urtica spp.

Urticaceae

blood pressure, weight reduction

31

5

4

2

0.143

0.13

12

4

Urera spp.

Boldo°

Plectranthus barbatus Andrews

Lamiaceae

digestion, stomach

25

4

4

3

0.141

0.2

13

3

Plectranthus neochilus Schltr.

Alcachofra

Cynara scolymus L.

Asteraceae

high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stomach

25

4

3

3

0.138

0.2

14

3

Cidreira

Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf

Poaceae

influenza, relaxation, sedative, stomach

19

3

4

3

0.13

0.2

15

3

Hyptis althaeifolia Pohl ex Benth.

Lamiaceae

Lippia alba var. Globiflora (L‘Hér.) Moldenke

Verbenaceae

Peru

Llanten°

Plantago spp.

Plantaginaceae

anti-inflammatory, cicatrices, disinfection, fever, germ-killing, inflammation, stomach, swells, throat

80

1

13

6

0.626

0.4

1

2

Uña de gato

Uncaria guianensis (Aubl.) J.F. Gmel.

Rubiaceae

cancer, cleansing, inflammation, liver, wounds, pain, swells, tumour

67

1

14

5

0.557

0.33

2

3

Orégano

Lantana spp.

Lamiaceae

baby tea, digestive, gastrospasm, stomach, flatulence

67

1

10

1

0.422

0.06

3

7

Mentha spicata L.

Origanum vulgare L

Matico

Piper spp.

Piperaceae

anti-inflammatory, bladder, blister, bruises, cicatrices, cold, cough, infection, kidneys

53

8

13

6

0.389

0.4

4

2

Bejuco chuncho

Cissus gongylodes Burch. Ex Baker

Vitaceae

anti-rheumatism, cancer, disinfection, diabetes, gastritis, joint pain, kidney stones, stomach, turgor, pain relief

53

8

10

7

0.375

0.4

5

1

Peru

Sangre de Grado

Croton lechleri Müll. Arg.

Euphorbiaceae

cancer, cicatrices, gastritis, wounds

47

7

13

4

0.352

0.26

6

4

Guanábana

Anona muricata L.

Annonaceae

cancer, inflammation, turgor

40

6

6

2

0.233

0.13

7

6

Guayaba

Psidium guajava L.

Myrtaceae

diarrhoea, stomach

40

6

7

2

0.229

0.13

8

6

Muñá°

Hyptis mutabilis (Rich.) Briq.

Lamiaceae

cicatrices, cuts, inflammation

27

4

4

2

0.217

0.13

9

6

Minthostachys setosa (Briq.) Epling

Cola de Caballo

Equisetum spp.

Equisetaceae

liver, kidneys

40

6

6

2

0.205

0.13

10

6

Plano°

Persea caerulea (Ruiz & Pav.) Mez

Lauraceae

bone fractures, dislocation, inflammation, swelling

33

5

7

4

0.202

0.26

11

4

Nectandra reticulata (Ruiz & Pav.) Mez

Zarzaparrilla

Serjania rubicaulis Benth. Ex Radlk.

Sapindaceae

antibacterial, blood cleansing, cicatrices, fungal infection, inflammation, swelling

27

4

5

4

0.19

0.26

12

4

Achiote

Bixa orellana L.

Bixaceae

kidneys, prostate, wounds

20

3

3

2

0.173

0.13

13

6

Verdolaga

Portulaca oleracea L.

Portulacacea

fever, liver, stomach ache

27

4

5

3

0.168

0.2

14

5

Santa Maria°

Piper peltatum L.

Piperaceae

antibiotic, cicatrices

20

3

3

2

0.164

0.13

15

6

Piper umbellatum L.