Table 4 Comparison among Sicilian data and other Mediterranean countries

Families recorded in the compared Mediterranean countries not employed in Sicily for their vegetable taxa

Aizoaceae, Anacardiaceae, Araceae, Apocynaceae, Aristolochiaceae, Campanulaceae, Cannabaceae, Celastraceae, Cistaceae, Colchicaceae, Convolvulaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Cymodoceaceae, Cynomoriaceae, Cytinaceae, Equisetaceae, Ericaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fumariaceae, Geraniaceae, Hypolepidaceae, Liliaceae, Linaceae, Lythraceae, Neuradaceae, Onagraceae, Orobanchaceae, Pedaliaceae, Plumbaginaceae, Poaceae, Resedaceae, Rubiaceae, Saxifragaceae, Typhaceae, Ulmaceae, Violaceae, Vitaceae, Zygophyllaceae.

Edible genera fairly recurrent in other countries not recorded in Sicily

Erodium (in all except Cyprus), Anchusa (in all except Italy), Scandix (in all except Morocco), Campanula (in all except Croatia/Herzegovina), Convolvulus (in Spain, Morocco, Croatia, Cyprus), Limonium (in Spain, Turkey, Morocco, Cyprus), Atriplex (in Italy, Spain, Morocco), Cirsium (in Italy, Spain, Turkey).

Taxa collected and eaten in Sicily and in all investigated countries

Foeniculum vulgare subsp. vulgare, Asparagus acutifolius, Cichorium intybus, Glebionis coronaria, Sonchus oleraceus, Borago officinalis, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Silene vulgaris subsp. vulgaris, Beta vulgaris, Malva sylvestris subsp. sylvestris, Papaver rhoeas var. rhoeas, Portulaca oleracea subsp. oleracea

Taxa commonly collected in Sicily and in five other compared countries

Allium ampeloprasum, Crithmum maritimum, Smyrnium olusatrum, Cynara cardunculus subsp. cardunculus, Scolymus hispanicus, Sonchus asper subsp. asper, Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa, Nasturtium officinale, Sinapis alba subsp. alba, Chenopodium album, Rumex pulcher subsp. pulcher, Urtica dioica.

Taxa commonly collected in Sicily and in four other compared countries

Amaranthus retroflexus, Apium nodiflorum, Eryngium campestre, Bellis perennis var. perennis, Chondrilla juncea, Lactuca serriola, Scolymus maculatus, Silybum marianum, Tragopogon porrifolius subsp. porrifolius, Urospermum picroides, Brassica nigra, Rapistrum rugosum, Sinapis arvensis, Sisymbrium officinale, Capparis spinosa subsp. spinosa, Stellaria media, Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima, Dioscorea communis, Oxalis pes-caprae, Plantago lanceolata, Plantago major subsp. major, Rumex crispus, Smilax aspera.