Ethnobotanical uses in the Ancona district (Marche region, Central Italy)

Lucchetti, Lara; Zitti, Silvia; Taffetani, Fabio

doi:10.1186/s13002-019-0288-1

Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine

Table 1 The species of ethnobotanical interest in the Ancona district

From: Ethnobotanical uses in the Ancona district (Marche region, Central Italy)

Scientific name	Family	Local names	Parts used	Uses	References for similar uses
Acer campestre L.	Sapindaceae		Wood	Craft: handles, tools [37]
Acer campestre L.	Sapindaceae		Whole plant	Mix: supports for grapevine [37]
Achillea collina (Becker ex Rchb.f.) Heimerl	Asteraceae	Millefoje, stagnasangue (g)	Flower	Food: fried flower in salted batter
			Leaves	Med: infusion as cicatrizer [27]
			Aerial part	Sup/rel: stems in pocket, against haemorrhoids
Adonis annua L. ssp. cupaniana (Guss.) C. Steinberg	Ranunculaceae		Leaves, flowers	Med: infusion as diuretic [37]
Aesculus hippocastanum L.	Sapindaceae	Castagna selvatica	Fruit	Sup/rel: under the pillow against colds [37]
Agrimonia eupatoria L.	Rosaceae	Erba de andata (o)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as digestive
Agrimonia eupatoria L.	Rosaceae	Erba de andata (o)	Leaves	Food: leaves for filling fresh pasta
Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle	Simaroubaceae		Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as anti-diarrhoea	Similar use of bark in [27]
			Leaves	Vet: for feeding silkworms
			Wood	Craft: handles, tools Dom: firewood
Alliaria petiolata (M.Bieb.) Cavara and Grande	Brassicaceae	Agliaria (o), erba aglina (g)	Leaves, flowers	Med: infusion to treat cough [27]
			Leaves	Food: to flavour salads [30, 34], roasted meat; piadina filling	To flavour various dish in [27]
			Leaves	Vet: in dairy cow feed
Allium cepa L.	Amaryllidaceae		Bulb	Med: fresh bulb cut in half rubbed on the skin as disinfectant to heal insects bites [23, 26]
Allium cepa L.	Amaryllidaceae		Bulb	Sup/rel: bulbs cut in half with spoonful of coarse salt on top to predict the weather [23]
Allium neapolitanum Cirillo	Amaryllidaceae	Cipollotto del diavolo (o)	Bulb	Med: raw bulbs eaten as vermifuge	Similar use of Allium sativum L. in [4, 21, 37]
				Food: raw in salads [34]
				Vet: bulbs macerated in wine to heal rabies in dogs
				Sup/rel: bulbs in necklaces to protect against devil’s eye	Similar use of. Allium sativum L. in [21, 37]
				Rep: bulbs macerated in water against aphids
			Flowers	Food: sautéed flowers to season pasta
			Flowers	Dom: flowers used in floral decorations
Allium sativum L.	Amaryllidaceae		Bulb	Med: one raw bulb or four bulbs boiled in milk and eaten to heal intestinal warms [23, 33]; one bulb under the pillow to heal intestinal warms in children [4, 23]; bulb poultice with olive oil or beeswax to heal calluses [23, 26]; rubbed fresh bulb to heal insects bites [21, 26]
Allium sativum L.	Amaryllidaceae		Bulb	Prov: ‘se voi l’aio grosso, a Natale lo devi avè posto’
Aloysia citriodora Palau.	Verbenaceae	Cedrina (g)	Leaves	Cosm: leaves in bath water to perfume the skin [23]
Aloysia citriodora Palau.	Verbenaceae	Cedrina (g)	Leaves	Dom: dry flowers in floral decorations
Amaranthus retroflexus L.	Amaranthaceae		Flowers	Dom: dry flowers in floral decorations
Ampelodesmos mauritanicus (Poir.) T.Durand and Schinz	Poaceae	Saracco (c)	Leaves	Mix: leaves used to make string and rope [22]
Anagallis arvensis L.	Primulaceae	Centocchio (o)	Aerial part	Med: decoction of aerial part to heal cough [27]
Anagallis arvensis L.	Primulaceae	Centocchio (o)	Aerial part	Vet: aerial parts with leaves of Urtica dioica L. and dry bread for feeding laying hens [37]
Apium graveolens L.	Apiaceae	Acquaiola (o)	Aerial part	Med: infusion of aerial part as digestive and diuretic [30]; leaf pack as emollient*	*Similar use against bruises [37] or to treat chilblains [23]
				Cosm: leaf pack to treat dry skin	Similar use for healing skin complaints and chilblains [23, 37]
				Sup/rel: fresh plant eaten as aphrodisiac; against devil’s eye [30]
Arbutus unedo L.	Ericaceae		Fruits	Food: fruit eaten raw or preserved in alcohol to make a liquor [4, 21, 27]
Arctium minus (Hill) Bernh.	Asteraceae		Leaves	Med: leaves in pack on feet as diaphoretic to heal bronchial diseases (correlated to fever) [36]
			Leaves	Cosm: leaf juice rubbed on scalp to heal dandruff; leaf decoction to heal acne	Similar use to heal hair loss [25]
			Stems	Food: *boiled stems as side dish* [36, 38]
Artemisia vulgaris L.	Asteraceae	Erba di S. Giovanni (g)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion to regularise menstruation [37]
				Food: *some raw leaves in salads*	similar uses in soups [37] and for Artemisia absinthium L. [30])
				Sup/rel: on St. John’s night, stems of *Artemisia vulgaris* L., Ruta graveolens L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., and *Lavandula* sp. in the pocket or under the pillow to protect against witches; protect during a travel
				Rep: leaves macerated in water against plant caterpillars
Arum italicum Mill.	Araceae	Erba biscia (o)	Leaves	Med: leaves applied as antirheumatic [37]
				Vet: leaf decoction as diuretic for pigs	Roots as feeding for pigs [21]
				Dom: boiled leaves for washing clothes, pots [37]
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: plant brings bad luck
Arundo donax L.	Poaceae	Canna (o, c, g)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as diuretic [37]
			Leaves	Mix: dry leaves smoked as tobacco substitute [4]
			Twigs	Sup/rel: Arundo donax L. and Olea europaea L. twigs to make a cross to protect fields [23]
				Craft: to make a support for knitting pins, to make ‘raganella’ [37]
				Recr: to make whistles [37]
				Mix: to support plants in the orchards, to make baskets [37]
Asparagus acutifolius L.	Asparagaceae	Sparaghi (c), asparagina (c, g)	Shoots	Med: eat boiled shoots as diuretic [4, 30]; shoots decoction together with Elymus repens (L.) Gould. as diuretic
				Food: boiled shoots as side dish [30], seasoning for risotto and omelettes [21, 30], [4, 41, 44, 48]
				Dye: boiling water used to dye fishing nets green
			Aerial part	Dom: dry plants used in floral decorations [36]
Avena sativa L.	Poaceae	Venella (g)	Seeds	Med: infusion and wraps to heal rheumatic pain [37]
			Aerial part	Vet: dry plants to feed rabbits, horses, cattle [36]
			Ears	Recr: ears pulled by girls and boys, and counted to forecast number of children or husbands [37]
Barbarea vulgaris R. Br.	Brassicaceae	Crescione (g)	Leaves	Food: *raw leaves in salads*	In soups [30, 44]
Bellis perennis L.	Asteraceae	Pasquetta (o), margherita (g)	Leaves	Med: raw leaves eaten as depurative [4]; wrap of raw leaves to treat sores [37]
			Leaves	Food: *raw leaves in salads* [4, 39, 42]*; in soups* [39, 41]
			Flowers	Sup/rel: infiorata [4]
				Recr: flowers used to make necklaces and for ‘m’ama non m’ama’ game [37]
Borago officinalis L.	Boraginaceae	Boraggine, borragine (c, o, g), borragia (g)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion to heal cough [25, 31] as depurative [25]; leaf wraps to heal sores and reddened skin*	*Emollient in [30]
				Food: leaves raw in salads [27], boiled as side dish [41, 44], seasoning for pasta and risotto [4, 44], filling for fresh pasta or pies [4, 21, 42], soups [4, 21, 27, 41, 45], omelettes [27, 41, 42], fried [4, 21, 44], fried with mozzarella and anchovy rolls
				Cosm: leaves in bath water to clean skin	Emollient properties in [30, 43]
			Flowers	Food: flower used to flavour vinegars*; in fresh salads	*Leaves used to flavour wine [25]
			Flowers	Dye: flowers used to dye clothes blue; colour is strongest if flowers are just harvested [37]
Brassica oleracea L.	Brassicaceae	Cavolo, verza (g)	Leaves	Med: fresh leaves used to make wraps to heal rheumatic pain [4, 26, 31]
Brassica oleracea L.	Brassicaceae	Cavolo, verza (g)	Leaves	Vet: fresh leaves used to make wraps to heal bruises [37]
Calendula officinalis L.	Asteraceae	Calenda (o, g)	Flowers	Med: macerated flowers in the wine used to heal chilblains; ointment with olive oil and flowers used as emollient [26]; ointment with flowers used as cicatrizer	The use is similar to the lenitive one and to heal rheumatic pains in [26, 33, 43]
				Food: flowers for seasoning risotto
				Sup/rel: flowers used in ‘infiorata’ [37]
Calepina irregularis (Asso) Thell.	Brassicaceae	Erba del tacchì (o)	Leaves	Food: *leaves boiled to make omelettes*	In soups [39]
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: brings good luck
			Flowers	Mix: flowers used to decorate churches for marriages
Calystegia sepium (L.) R.Br.	Convolvulaceae	Campanella (o)	Leaves	Med: leaf decoction used as laxative [25, 27]
			Flowers	Mix: flowers used in wedding bouquets
Campanula rapunculus L.	Campanulaceae	Lattughella (g)	Leaves	Food: raw leaves in salads [4, 21, 24, 39]
Cannabis sativa L.	Cannabaceae	Canapa (c)	Aerial part, stems	Mix: to make string, cord [23]
Capsella bursa pastoris (L.) Medik.	Brassicaceae	Cimino (o)	Leaves	Med: leaf decoction to heal menstrual pain [25]
			Leaves	Food: *raw leaves in salads or boiled in vegetable mixtures as side dish* [4, 39]
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: brings good luck
Carex pendula Huds.	Cyperaceae	Cannucciaia	Stems	Mix: stems used to make seats for straw chairs [36]
Castanea sativa Mill.	Fagaceae	Castagna (g)	Fruits	Food: fruit frequently eaten, roasted, cooked under ashes, boiled with laurel leaves; flour used to make bread and cakes (‘castagnaccio’) [21]
Celtis australis L.	Cannabaceae	Olmo bianco (o), spaccasassi (g)	Leaves	Med: leaf decoction as anti-inflammatory of oral cavity [31]
			Leaves	Vet: leaves for feeding the cattle
			Fruits	Food: fruit used for flavouring grappa
				Sup/rel: fruit used for making rosaries
				Recr: fruit used to make necklaces; fruit used with blowpipes [36]
Ceratonia siliqua L.	Fabaceae	Carruba, carrobie (c)	Seeds	Food: *seeds eaten as sweets or used to make sweets with onion* [35, 48]
Ceratonia siliqua L.	Fabaceae	Carruba, carrobie (c)	Twigs	Mix: young twigs to make ties
Cercis siliquastrum L.	Fabaceae		Flowers	Food: *flowers fried in sweet batter* [37]
Chelidonium majus L.	Papaveraceae		Latex	Med: latex used as cicatrizer [31]; latex dissolved in water for internal use to heal heartburn [25]
Chelidonium majus L.	Papaveraceae		Aerial part	Dye: plant used to dye clothes yellow [37]
Chenopodium album L.	Amaranthaceae	Spinacio selvatico (g)	Leaves	Food: *leaves boiled and served as side dish, like spinach* [39, 41]
Chenopodium bonus-henricus L.	Amaranthaceae	Buon enrico, spinacio selvatico (g)	Leaves	Med: boiled leaves put on burns as emollient	Similar use in [37]
Chenopodium bonus-henricus L.	Amaranthaceae	Buon enrico, spinacio selvatico (g)	Leaves	Food: boiled leaves in vegetable mixtures, for seasoning risotto, filling fresh pasta; raw leaves with pine nuts, walnuts, oil; boiled as seasoning [39, 48]
Cichorium intybus L.	Asteraceae	Grugni (c, g), grugni selvatici, grugni campagnoli (g)	Leaves	Med: leaves decoction as depurative and diuretic [21, 43]; as anti-anaemic [23];
				Food: raw young leaves in salads [4, 39, 41, 42, 45], boiled in vegetable mixture as a side dish [4, 21, 39, 41, 44, 45], boiled to fill fresh pasta [21], *boiled and preserved in oil* [48]
				Vet: leaves for feeding rabbits to heal intestinal worms
			Roots	Food: roasted roots as surrogate for coffee [37]
			Roots	Sup/rel: roots have protective value
			Whole plant	Dye: to dye clothes in yellow
Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.	Asteraceae		Roots	Med: chew raw roots against toothache [37]
Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.	Asteraceae		Leaves	Food: *leaves boiled and sautéed as side dish* [39]
Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck	Rutaceae		Flowers	Med: flowers decoction to heal cough [37]
				Cosm: flowers decoction to treat oily skin	Fruits used to heal skin disease [26]
				Dom: flowers used to perfume rooms and surroundings [37]
			Fruits	Dom: fruit juice used with salt and vinegar to clean pots [37]
Clematis vitalba L.	Ranunculaceae	Vitalbe, vitalbene, vitarvene (c), barba dei frati, barba dei vecchi, vitalla (g)	Leaves	Med: leaf decoction as diuretic [37]
			Leaves	Mix: dry leaves smoked as tobacco substitute [37]
			Shoots	Food: boiled young shoots as side dish [39], to season risotto, to make omelettes [4, 39, 41, 44, 45], to preserve in oil
			Stems	Mix: young stems used to make string [4, 37]
			Flowers	Dom: flowers used in flora decorations [36]
Clinopodium nepeta (L.) Kuntze.	Lamiaceae	Mentuccia (c, o, g), menta (o, g), menta selvatica (g)	Leaves, flowers	Med: poultice of leaves as emollient [27, 37]
				Food: leaves used to flavour meat, vegetables, omelettes, soups [4, 34, 39, 41, 44]
				Cosm: leaves chewed to heal bad breathe
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘Chi vede la mentuccia e non ne sente l’odore non vede la Madonna quando muore’
Convolvulus arvensis L.	Convolvulaceae	Campanelle (g)	Leaves	Med: crushed fresh leaves applied to skin to heal pimples [37]
Convolvulus arvensis L.	Convolvulaceae	Campanelle (g)	Flower	Food: flowers sucked as snack
Cornus mas L.	Cornaceae	Grugnale (o, g)	Shoots	Med: shoot infusion as febrifuge [37]
			Fruits	Food: fruit used to flavour grappa [23, 42]; fruit eaten raw [37, 42, 45]
			Flowers	Cosm: flowers decoction to heal oily skin
			Wood	Craft: wood used to build boats
			Wood	Prov: ‘Sei un grugnale’
Cornus sanguinea L.	Cornaceae	Sanguinella (g)	Wood	Craft: handles, tools [37]
Corylus avellana L.	Betulaceae		Fruits	Food: fruit eaten fresh or to make cakes [37, 41, 42]
Corylus avellana L.	Betulaceae		Whole plant	Sup/rel: plant protects against lightning
Cota tinctoria (L.) J.Gay.	Asteraceae	Falsa camomilla, camomilla tinta (g)	Flowers	Sup/rel: *flowers used in ‘infiorata***’
Cota tinctoria (L.) J.Gay.	Asteraceae	Falsa camomilla, camomilla tinta (g)	Flowers	Dye: flowers in boiled water to dye wool yellow [37]
Crataegus monogyna Jacq.	Rosaceae	Biancospino, porcospino, albero delle Perelle (g)	Leaves, flowers	Med: flowers and leaf infusion to heal heart problems, as anti-hypertensive [21, 23, 42]
			Fruits	Med: dry fruit heated in little bag and used to heal rheumatic pains
				Food: fruit eaten raw, to make jams, liqueurs [37, 41, 42]
				Vet: *fruit poultice used to heal ‘spallone’ in cattle* (bruising caused by ‘giogo’-yoke)
			Wood	Dom: wood used to light fires and heat the oven, with Olea europaea L. branches. It was said to give bread a good aroma [36]
				Sup/rel: plant had religious value, because it flowered from the stick of Giuseppe d’Arimatea	Other magic uses in [37]
Crepis vesicaria L.	Asteraceae	Grugno porcino (g)	Basal rosette	Food: leaves boiled in vegetable mixture as side dish [4, 34, 39, 41, 44]
Crithmum maritimum L.	Apiaceae	Paccasassi, spaccasassi (c)	Leaves, shoots	Food: leaves boiled in water and vinegar and preserved in olive oil [24, 39, 48]
Cruciata laevipes Opiz	Rubiaceae	Erba croce (o)	Leaves	Med: leaf juice drank as vermifuge* [37], leaf decoction to heal intestinal obstructions
Cruciata laevipes Opiz	Rubiaceae	Erba croce (o)	Roots	Dye: roots used to dye wool red
Cydonia oblonga Mill.	Rosaceae		Fruits	Food: fruit used to make jams [37, 41], sometimes with grape berries
Cydonia oblonga Mill.	Rosaceae		Fruits	Dom: some fruits put in fruit basket to perfume the kitchen [4, 37]
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.	Poaceae	Gramaccia (c, g)	Roots	Food: *raw roots eaten in salads* [5]
			Aerial part	Vet: plant really liked by pigs	Veterinary food use for ruminants and horses [4]
			Plant	Prov: ‘Essere cattivo come la gramigna’
Daucus carota L.	Apiaceae		Roots	Med: roots crushed and poultice, used to heal burns [26, 27]
			Roots	Food: roots eaten and boiled as side dish in famine period [23, 39]
			Stems	Mix: stems used to tie sheaves [36]
Dioscorea communis (L.) Caddick and Wilkin	Dioscoreaceae	Viticella (g)	Shoots	Food: shoots boiled and used to make omelettes [24, 39, 44]
Diplotaxis erucoides (L.) DC.	Brassicaceae	Rughetta (o), fiore bianco (c), carrugola selvatica, carrugola, carrucola (g)	Leaves	Med: raw leaves eaten as digestive
Diplotaxis erucoides (L.) DC.	Brassicaceae		Leaves	Food: raw leaves in salads; boiled as side dish [34, 39, 41, 44]
Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC.	Brassicaceae		Leaves	Med: raw leaves eaten as digestive
Diplotaxis tenuifolia (L.) DC.	Brassicaceae		Leaves	Food: raw leaves for seasoning pizza, salads; boiled for seasoning pasta [4, 34, 39, 41, 42, 45]
Echium vulgare L.	Boraginaceae	Erba viperina (g)	Leaves	Food: *leaves of basal rosette boiled in vegetable mixtures as side dish* [39, 44]
Elymus repens (L.) Gould.	Poaceae	Gramaccia (c, g); gramigna, grano delle formiche (o)	Roots	Med: root decoction as depurative [4, 31, 43, 44]
			Seeds	Food: seeds used for flavouring bread
			Ears	Recr: children play with ears, detaching them one by one to see if desire comes true
			Aerial part	Med: decoction to heal abdominal pain; crushed plant put on forehead to heal nose bleed
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘Le donne molto feconde sono come la gramaccia’, ‘Esse taccati come la gramigna’
Equisetum arvense L.	Equisetaceae	Coda cavallina (c)	Aerial part	Med: stem decoction used as footbath to heal excessive perspiration [4]
Equisetum arvense L.	Equisetaceae	Coda cavallina (c)	Shoots	Food: young shoots fried or boiled to make omelettes [37, 44, 45]
Equisetum telmateia Ehrh.	Equisetaceae	Coda cavallina (g)	Aerial part	Med: stem decoction used as footbath to heal excessive perspiration [4]; stem decoction instilled in nose to heal nosebleed [26] or inhaled against nosebleed
				Cosm: to reinforce nails, fingers were put in stem decoction [26]. Stem decoction used to purify skin [36]
				Dom: stems used to polish kitchenware [23]
			Shoots	Food: young shoots fried or boiled to make omelettes [37, 44, 45]
Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh.	Myrtaceae	Ocalitto (o)	Leaves	Med: leaf decoction as antipyretic [37]
				Food: *leaves used to flavour grappa*	Similar use for E. globolus Labill. [36]
				Vet: leaves rubbed on animals to heal parasites	Similar use for E. globolus Labill. [36]
				Dom: flowers, fruit, and twigs used in floral decorations [36]
				Rep: leaves used in the house against anopheles [37]
Euonymus europaeus L.	Celastraceae		Wood	Craft: wood used to make spindles [37]
Euphorbia helioscopia L.	Euphorbiaceae	Latte del diavolo (o)	Latex	Sup/rel: latex has protective value
Euphorbia lathyris L.	Euphorbiaceae		Whole plant	Rep: species planted in orchards to kept them clear from rats [24]
Euphorbia peplus L.	Euphorbiaceae	Tortumaio (c)	Latex	Med: fresh latex on wounds as cicatrizer	To heal warts in [26]
Ficaria verna Huds.	Ranunculaceae	Botton d’oro (g)	Leaves	Med: crushed leaves to heal arthritis pain
Ficus carica L.	Moraceae	Figo (o, c)	Latex	Med: latex used to heal warts and calluses [4, 21, 26, 37]
			Latex	Cosm: latex appears to be used to be more tanned
			Fruits	Fruits are eaten raw or used to make jams [21, 41, 42, 45]
			Shoots, twigs	Sup/rel: shoots put in St. John’s water [37]
			Twigs	Sup/rel: twigs used to make crosses to put out of the doors during St. John’s night
			Twigs	Mix: twigs used to stir milk to curdle it [37]
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: plant has protective value
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘Anno ficaio, poco granaio’, ‘Non vale un fico secco’
Foeniculum vulgare Mill.	Apiaceae	Finocchio selvatico (c, o, g), finocchio cavallì (c), finocchietto (g)	Roots	Med: root infusion as diuretic [37]
			Seeds	Med: seed infusion as galactagogue [23], digestive [25], as anti-anaemic [23], to heal colics
			Seeds	Food: to flavour bread [37]
			Leaves, seeds	Food: to flavour pork, suckling pig (‘porchetta’), rabbit, sea and land snails, olives, for boiling chestnut [4, 21, 23, 30, 37, 39, 42, 44, 45]
			Leaves, seeds	Vet: leaves put in cattle feed to heal abdominal bloating	Similar use of leaves for food use [37]
			Flowers	Food: to flavour baked mushrooms, olives [37]
Fragaria vesca L.	Rosaceae	Fragola selvatica, fragolina di bosco (g)	Fruits	Food: fruit eaten as fresh fruit or in jams [37, 44]
Fraxinus ornus L.	Oleaceae	Ornello	Leaves	Food: leaves used as substitute for tea	Similar use for the fruit [37]
Fumaria officinalis L.	Papaveraceae	Erba de purghe (o)	Leaves	Med: leaves and aerial parts crushed and used as emollient [25]
				Food: *some leaves in soups*	Similar use of the ‘fruit’ [36]
				Sup/rel: burning leaves has protective value
Galium aparine L.	Rubiaceae	Attaccamà (o)	Leaves, stems	Med: leaf and stem infusions as depurative and anti-inflammatory
Galium aparine L.	Rubiaceae	Attaccamà (o)	Leaves, stems	Mix: leaves and stems used as rennet for milk	Similar use for Galium sp. [37]
Gentiana lutea L.	Gentianaceae		Roots	Food: roots notoriously used in liqueurs in the Apennine area [27, 37]
Geranium dissectum L.	Geraniaceae	Sbrandello (o)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as anti-haemorrhoidal	The same use for Geranium robertianum L. [37]
Geranium dissectum L.	Geraniaceae	Sbrandello (o)	Leaves	Dye: dye in brown
Hedera helix L.	Araliaceae		Leaves	Med: leaf infusions as decongestant and to heal menstrual pain [37]
				Cosm: leaf decoctions used to stain hair [21]
				Dye: leaf decoction used to revitalise dark colour and to dye green [4, 37]
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: plant has protective value
Hedysarum coronarium L.	Leguminosae	Lupinella (o, c, g), lupina (g)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as galactagogue
			Leaves	Vet: leaves in feeding of livestock [37]
			Flowers	Sup/rel: ‘infiorata’ [23]
			Leaves, shoots, flowers	Food: leaves and flowers raw in salad [37], boiled in vegetable mixtures [41], peeled stems eaten as snack [24]
Helianthus tuberosus L.	Asteraceae	Topinambur, girasole selvatico (g)	Tuber	Food: boiled tubers to season risotto [39, 44]
Helminthotheca echioides (L.) Holub	Asteraceae	Speraina (c), speragne, sporagne, crispigne, grugni (g)	Leaves	Food: basal rosette boiled alone or in vegetable mixtures as side dish, used for filling ‘crescia’ and ‘piadina’ [21, 30, 34, 39, 44]
Humulus lupulus L.	Cannabaceae	Luppero (g)	Shoots	Food: young shoots boiled and used to make omelettes [27, 39]
Hypericum perforatum L.	Hypericaceae	Scacciadiavoli, erba di S. Giovanni (g)	Flowers	Med: flowers in olive oil, then put in the sun, as cicatrizer, against burns [4, 21, 23, 26]
				Food: flowers for flavouring grappa [37]
				Dye: flowers used as yellow dye [37]
			Aerial part	Sup/rel: in St. John’s water [37] for various ritual uses during St. John’s night (see Artemisia vulgaris)
Hypochaeris achyrophorus L.	Asteraceae	Cosce di vecchia (o)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as diuretic	The same use for Hypochaeris radicata L. [37]
			Leaves	Food: *leaves boiled and used to make omelettes (‘they are sweet’)*	Similar use for Hypochaeris radicata [21, 34, 37]
			Whole plant	Vet: pigs eat the roots, leaves given to cattle as galactagogue
Inula conyza (Griess.) DC.	Asteraceae		Stems	Rep: plants hung up in the granaries to keep rats away [27]
Jasminum officinale L.	Oleaceae	Gelsumì (o)	Flowers	Med: flowers decoctions to heal cough
				Cosm: flowers in bath water to relax [36]
				Dom: flowers used to decorate house
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: plant has protective value
Juglans regia L.	Juglandaceae		Leaves	Sup/rel: some leaves put in St. John’s water [23, 36]
			Fruits	Food: fruit eaten as dry fruit, for seasoning pasta, for flavouring bread. Fruit harvested in St. John’s night to make ‘nocino’ [4, 37, 42]
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: plant has some negative effects [4, 37]
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘Noce, croce’; ‘Beati chi ha ‘rcacciato noce e ulive perchè non se vanga e non se zappa’
Juniperus communis L.	Cupressaceae		Fruits	Food: fruit for flavouring grappa [23]
Juniperus communis L.	Cupressaceae		Fruits	Cosm: fruit chewed against halitosis	Similar to the Juniperus oxycedrus L. use [27]
Juniperus oxycedrus L.	Cupressaceae	Ginepro (c)	Fruits	Med: fruit chewing to heal inappetence [23]; fruit juice eaten to heal stomach acid, fruit poultice on skin to heal sores
				Food: for flavouring roast meat, liqueurs [21, 37]
				Vet: crushed fruit added to water as galactagogue for cattle	Used cited for Juniperus communis L. [37]
				Sup/rel: fruit in the St. John’s water
Laurus nobilis L.	Lauraceae	Laru (o), alloro, baccarolo (g)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as digestive [21, 37]
				Food: leaves used to flavouring meat (‘spiedini’, ‘fegatelli’, meat sauces) and fish, in boiling water of chestnuts [21, 30, 41, 42, 44, 45]
				Cosm: leaves in bath water to relax [37]
				Sup/rel: leaves in St. John’s water [36]
				Rep: some leaves in pots where figs were kept to keep worms away; leaves on doors to keep cockroaches away	Similar uses [4, 21, 37]
			Twigs	Recr: twig crackling in fire
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: plant on the house entrance protects against lightning [37]
Lavandula sp.	Lamiaceae	Spigonardo (o), lavanda (c, g) spighette (c), spighetto (g)	Flowers	Med: flowers in water to clean wounds [23], flowers macerated in alcohol to heal louse; to encourage sleep in children, dried spikelets placed near beds
				Vet: some spikelets in feed of dairy cows to flavouring the milk
				Cosm: flowering tops macerated in water to perfume skin [26]
				Sup/rel: spikelet in St. John’s water; ‘infiorata’ [4, 37]
				Dom: dry spikelets into drawers to perfume clothes; in floral decorations [37]
			Leaves	Med: fresh leaves chewed to heal gingivitis [4, 37]
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘Una buona raccolta vale più di un campo di grano’
Leopoldia comosa (L.) Parl.	Asparagaceae	Cipollaccio (g)	Bulbs	Food: bulbs eaten raw in salads or boiled, to make omelettes [39, 41]
Ligustrum vulgare L.	Oleaceae		Twigs	Mix: twigs used to make string in the grapevines [37]
Linum usitatissimum L.	Linaceae	Lino coltivato	Seeds	Med: seed poultice applied to chest as decongestant, to heal cough [23]
Linum usitatissimum L.	Linaceae	Lino coltivato	Seeds	Food: seeds for flavouring bread
Lunaria annua L.	Brassicaceae	Erba della luna, monete del papa (o), soldi, pianta dei soldi, dollari (g)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as diuretic
			Leaves	Food: boiled leaves in vegetable mixtures
			Fruits	Dom: dried plant with siliquae used to decorate house
			Fruits	Mix: flowers used to make wedding bouquets
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: where plant grows, there it brings richness
Malus sylvestris (L.) Mill.	Rosaceae	Melette selvatiche (g)	Fruits	Food: fruits eaten raw, cooked, in jams [37, 42]
				Vet: wasted fruit were given to pigs
				Prov: ‘Dare le mele ai porci’
Malva sylvestris L.	Malvaceae	Malva, malbe (c), malbe (g)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as laxative [21, 30], relaxing, depurative [4], for intimate washing; chewing leaves to heal toothache [4, 22, 26]; wrap of boiled leaves to heal skin diseases [4, 26], sores; wrap of boiled leaves put on chest (with ‘pancotto’) to heal bronchitis [23]
				Food: raw [30, 39] or boiled [30, 39, 41, 44] leaves in salads and vegetable mixtures; boiled leaves for seasoning risotto
				Vet: leaf infusion to heal cattle diarrhoea and as digestive; raw leaves as feed to increase milk production in dairy cows [37]
			Flowers	Med: flowers decoctions to heal sores [21, 26, 37]
				Food: flowers used to make refreshing drink
				Sup/rel: flowers in St. John’s water [4]
			Stems	Med: stem used as laxative suppositories for children
			Stems	Food: stem raw in salads
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘Bocca malva, scappa ortiga’, ‘La malva da tutti i mali salva’
Matricaria chamomilla L.	Asteraceae	Capumilla (c)	Flowers	Infusion: flowers infusion as sedative [4, 23], digestive, depurative [4], to heal haemorrhoids [37]; flower poultice for eye inflammation [4, 21, 23], flowers poultice put on forehead against headaches [36]
				Food: flowers used for flavouring liqueurs [37]
				Cosm: flowers infusion to lightening hair [4]
				Sup/rel: *flowers used in ‘infiorata***’
				Dye: flowers to dye wool yellow [37]
				Recr: necklaces and bracelets with flowers	Similar use for Bellis perennis L. [37]
				Dom: flowers to perfume drawers
				Prov: ‘Il tappeto di camomilla più è calpestato e più scintilla’
Medicago lupulina L.	Fabaceae	Erba nera (o)	Flowers, leaves	Med: leaf and flowers infusion as lenitive and emollient
Medicago lupulina L.	Fabaceae	Erba nera (o)	Flowers, leaves	Vet: leaves and flowers as feed for livestock
Medicago sativa L.	Fabaceae	Erba melica (c)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as tonic
Medicago sativa L.	Fabaceae	Erba melica (c)	Leaves	Vet: leaves and flowers as feed for livestock [37]
Melissa officinalis L.	Lamiaceae		Leaves and flowers	Med: leaf infusion as sedative, depurative [37]
				Food: leaves and flowers raw in salads, for flavouring meat [30, 42]
				Cosm: leaves and flowers in water to tone skin [37]
				Rep: dry leaves in drawers to kept moths away
Mentha x piperita L.	Lamiaceae		Leaves, flowers	Med: leaf infusion as depurative; leaf juice in vinegar to heal vomiting [37]; fresh leaves to heal insect bites [26, 30]
				Food: leaves raw in salads, to make sauce for meat, risotto, syrup [4, 30, 41, 42, 44, 45]
				Sup/rel: some protective uses attributed to the plant
Misopates orontium (L.) Raf.	Scrophulariaceae	Borsa del pastore, sacca del pastore (c)	Aerial part	Food: leaves raw in salads or boiled in vegetable mixtures
Morus alba L.	Moraceae	Moro (g)	Leaves	Vet: leaves to feed livestock in winter, to feed silkworms [37]
Morus alba L.	Moraceae	Moro (g)	Flowers	Dom: flowers use in floral decorations
Morus nigra L.	Moraceae	Moro (o)	Roots	Med: root juice against scorpion poison
			Fruits	Food: raw, in jams, for flavouring grappa [4, 37, 41, 42, 45]
			Fruits	Sup/rel: unripe fruit as amulet
			Leaves	Med: leaves in packs to heal skin inflammations [37]
			Leaves	Dye: plant used to dye wool yellow [37]
Myosotis arvensis (L.) Hill	Boraginaceae	Non ti scordar di me (o)	Aerial part	Med: leaf packs on tired eyes	Similar to the use cited for M. ramosissima [37]
Myosotis arvensis (L.) Hill	Boraginaceae	Non ti scordar di me (o)	Aerial part	Vet: leaves to feed livestock
Nigella damascena L.	Ranunculaceae		Seeds	Food: *seeds use to flavour bread*	Similar use for pastries [36]
Nigella damascena L.	Ranunculaceae		Flowers	Dom: dry flowers in floral decorations
Ocimum basilicum L.	Lamiaceae		Leaves, flowers	Med: leaf and flowers infusion as sedative, galactagogue, bactericide, anti-inflammatory [27]
				Cosm: leaves in water bath as skin tonic and purifier [26]
				Sup/rel: dry leaves to make incense	Funeral use [37]
				Rep: plants near the windows to keep mosquitoes away [4]
Olea europaea L.	Oleaceae	Ulìo (o)	Leaves	Med: leaf decoction as hypotensive [4, 21, 33]; packs of leaves boiled in water on chest as decongestant
			Leaves	Sup/rel: some leaves on windows to protect against hailstorms	Similar use in [32]
			Oil	Med: oil to heal burns [21, 26, 33], rheumatic pain; hot oil (heated in half eggshell on embers) to heal earache [24], hot oil for rubbing on chest against bronchitis [21, 33], hot oil to heal calluses
				Vet: oil rubbed on animals that had lost hair [37]
				Cosm: oil pack on hair
				Dom: oil used in lamps and to make detergents and soaps [37]
			Twigs	Sup/rel: use of oil to heal devil’s eye [37], for protective use in the field see Arundo donax; twigs used in predictive ritual
			Wood	Dom: wood use as fire starter in oven (see Crategus monogyna) [37]
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘Il nonno la pianta, il babbo la raccoglie, il nipote ci si scalda’
Origanum majorana L.	Lamiaceae		Leaves and flowers	Med: leaf infusion to heal cough [25]; infusion in wine to heal intermittent fever
Origanum majorana L.	Lamiaceae		Leaves and flowers	Food: flavouring [21, 41]
Origanum vulgare L.	Lamiaceae	Menta bastarda (o)	Leaves and flowers	Med: leaf decoction with internal use as digestive and antispasmodic [27, 44], external use to heal lice
				Food: flavour vegetables, pizzas [4, 23, 39, 45]
				Sup/rel: dry leaves in pocket as necklace to protect against devil’s eye
Ornithogalum umbellatum L.	Asparagaceae	Lacrime della madonna (g)	Whole plant	Sup/rel: where plants grown there is protection of the Madonna
Ostrya carpinifolia Scop.	Betulaceae	Carpino (g)	Leaves	Med: leaves macerated as anti-catarrhal
			Leaves	Vet: leaves as feed for livestock [37]
			Wood	Craft: handles, tools [4, 37]
Pallenis spinosa (L.) Cass.	Asteraceae		Whole plant	Mix: in the garden, as decorative
Papaver rhoeas L.	Papaveraceae	Rosoletta, rosolaccio (o), papola (c), papatelle, papaverella (g)	Leaves	Med: cooking water as depurative
				Food: basal rosette boiled in vegetable mixtures, as seasoning for polenta [4, 21, 34, 39, 41, 42]
				Vet: leaves as feed for hens to increase egg laying [31]
			Seeds	Food: for flavouring bread
			Flower	Med: flower infusion to enhance sleep [4, 21], in enema to heal haemorrhoids
				Cosm: petals used for make-up [26]
				Sup/rel: flowers used in ‘infiorata’ [4]
				Recr: children played guess the colour of the still closed flower: white, pink or red, saying ‘frate, monaca o cappuccino?’ (monk, nun, or Capuchin?) [4]; flowers used to make ‘ballerine’ (dancers) by folding down petals and tieing them with blade of grass; calyx used to make stamps for the skin
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘Il rosso del campo è la vergogna del contadino’
Parietaria officinalis L.	Urticaceae	Erba murale, erba vetriola (c), erba vitriola (g)	Leaves, aerial part	Med: crushed leaves to heal bruises [23, 26], leaf infusion as diuretic [4], fresh leaves to heal bites, burns, furuncles [4, 21, 26, 36]
				Food: leaves boiled in vegetable mixtures, as seasoning for pasta, in soups (also with Urtica dioica L. leaves) [34, 37, 44]
				Dom: plant used to clean flasks/bottles [4]
Passiflora caerulea L.	Passifloraceae		Fruits	Food: food eaten as fresh fruit
Passiflora caerulea L.	Passifloraceae		Flowers	Dom: flowers used in floral decorations
Pastinaca sativa L. subsp. urens (Req. ex Godr.) Celak.	Apiaceae	Erba sellerina (g)	Whole plant	Rep: plants left to grow near orchards to keep thieves away
Pelargonium sp.	Geraniaceae		Whole plant	Rep: used to put some plants on the window sill to keep mosquitoes away
Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss	Apiaceae	Erbetta (o, g)	Leaves	Med: crushed leaves to heal insect bites [4, 31]; leaf infusion or eat large amount of leaves to abort [37, 43]; leaf infusion on the skin to heal sunburn
			Leaves	Cosm: leaf infusions for lightening skin spots
			Seeds	Med: seed infusions as diuretic [37]
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: plant has negative effects and predictive uses
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘Stare in mezzo come il prezzemolo’
Phaseolus vulgaris L.	Fabaceae		Seed	Med: seed decoctions as diuretic, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive [27]
Phaseolus vulgaris L.	Fabaceae		Seed	Sup/rel: dried beans as good-luck amulet
Picris hieracioides Sibth. and Sm.	Asteraceae		Leaves	Med: cooking water as diuretic
Picris hieracioides Sibth. and Sm.	Asteraceae		Leaves	Food: leaves boiled in vegetable mixtures as side dish [4, 21, 30, 34, 39]
Pimpinella anisum L.	Apiaceae		Seeds	Med: seed infusion as galactagogue [36]; antispasmodic [37]
Pimpinella anisum L.	Apiaceae		Seeds	Food: seeds commonly used in Marche region to make liquors [23]
Pinus pinea L.	Pinaceae		Young cones, buds	Med: buds infusion to heal respiratory affections [21, 37]
			Seed	Food: seeds for seasoning pasta, to make cakes
			Bark	Dye: bark used by fishermen to dye their fishing nets red [24, 36]
			Pitch	Cosm: pitch used to make sort of hair spray
			Pitch	Mix: resin used to make turpentine
Plantago lanceolata L.	Plantaginaceae	Lingua di cane (o, c), orecchie di pecora (o), recchie d’asino, recchiole (c), orecchie di pe’, centonervi (g)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as anti-diarrhoeal; leaf packs to heal insects bites [4, 21, 33] and sprains [4, 31], as haemostatic
				Food: raw leaves in salads, boiled leaves in vegetable mixtures, in soups [39, 48]
				Vet: leaves as feed for hens and rabbits [4, 21]
				Dye: leaves to dye clothes green
			Ears, stems	Recr: kids competed for those who throw the ear farthest away: stems used to make cricket cages [4]
Plantago major L.	Plantaginaceae		Leaves	Food: boiled leaves in vegetable mixtures [39, 48]
Polygonum aviculare L.	Polygonaceae	Erba dei centonodi (c)	Stems	Mix: stems used to make ties
Populus alba L.	Salicaceae		Twigs	Vet: young dried twigs given to rabbits and sheep in winter
Portulaca oleracea L.	Portulacaceae	Sportellacchia, porcellana (c), erba grassa, procacchia, procaccia (g)	Leaves	Med: fresh leaves chewed to heal gingival inflammation; crushed leaves to heal pimples [30, 43]
Portulaca oleracea L.	Portulacaceae		Leaves	Food: raw leaves in salads, soups; boiled leaves pickled in vinegar [4, 34, 36, 39, 42, 44, 48]
Primula vulgaris Huds.	Primulaceae		Leaves, flowers	Food: raw leaves and flowers in salads [39]
Prunus avium (L.) L.	Rosaceae	Cerase Selvatiche, cerase (g)	Fruits, peduncles	Med: peduncles infusion as depurative and laxative [37]
			Fruits, peduncles	Food: fruit eaten as fresh fruit
			Leaves	Cosm: leaf infusion to rehydrate skin
			Leaves	Rep: some to keep fleas away from hen-house [29]
			Wood	Dom: wood used as light starter
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: predictive value attributed to plant
Prunus cerasus L.	Rosaceae	Visciola (g)	Fruits	Food: fruit put under sugar and commonly used to make ‘vino di visciola’ (sour cherry wine) [37]
Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A.Webb	Rosaceae		Leaves	Med: leaves and epicarp decoction to heal cough [26, 36, 37]
Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A.Webb	Rosaceae		Leaves	Sup/rel: predictive value attributed to plant
Prunus spinosa L.	Rosaceae	Prugnolo, brugnolo (c, g), scancio (g)	Fruits	Med: cooked fruit as anti-diarrhoeal [30]
Prunus spinosa L.	Rosaceae	Prugnolo, brugnolo (c, g), scancio (g)	Fruits	Food: raw fruit eaten as snack (only after first frost period); to make jams, liqueurs
Pulicaria dysenterica (L.) Gaertn.	Asteraceae	Mentastro (o)	Aerial part	Med: plant infusion as anti-diarrhoeal [37]
Pulicaria dysenterica (L.) Gaertn.	Asteraceae	Mentastro (o)	Aerial part	Rep: plants burned in the hen-house to kill parasites [37]
Punica granatum L.	Lythraceae		Fruits	Med: fruit were eaten raw to heal diarrhoea or heated with honey to heal cough [37]
				Food: fruit eaten raw [41, 42]
				Sup/rel: fruit were used in a propitiatory ritual
Quercus ilex L.	Fagaceae	Elce (o)	Acorns, bark	Med: decoction as anti-diarrhoeal and anti-inflammatory [37]
			Acorns	Food: roasted acorns as a surrogate for coffee, milled acorns to make bread [5, 37]
			Acorns	Vet: acorns to feed pigs [37]
Quercus pubescens Willd.	Fagaceae	Quercia, cerqua (g)	Leaves	Med: leaves smoked against malaria
			Leaves	Mix: dried leaves of Quercus pubescens as tobacco substitutes [37]
			Acorns	Vet: acorns to feed pigs: to prepare mash (‘berò’) with barley, corns, and water; rabbits: as medicinal feed for rabbits with diarrhoea [23, 37]
			Galls	Recr: galls used as marbles
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘La cerqua ha fatto sempre la ghianda’, ‘Se u primu de maggio me gela i pia, poca ghianda magna u porcu mia’
Quercus robur L.	Fagaceae	Quercia, midullo (g)	Acorns	Vet: acorns to feed pigs [37]
			Acorns	Recr: half cut acorns used as dolls ‘eyes
			Galls	Recr: galls were used as marbles
			Wood	Craft: wood used to make various tools and furniture, to make kneading tables, manger (‘greppia’) for livestock	Similar uses referred to Quercus sp., [37]
Ranunculus bulbosus L.	Ranunculaceae	Bottoncino d’oro (g)	Leaves	Med: fresh leaves to heal cold sores	Similar use for Ranunculus velutinus Ten. [26, 37]
Ranunculus velutinus Ten.	Ranunculaceae		Leaves	Med: crushed leaved in packs to heal sciatica	Similar use for Ranunculus bulbosus L. [37]
Ranunculus velutinus Ten.	Ranunculaceae		Leaves	Food: *leaves boiled in vegetable mixtures*	Similar use for Ranunculus bulbosus L. [37]
Raphanus raphanistrum L.	Brassicaceae	Senapi (c)	Leaves	Food: leaves boiled in vegetable mixtures [4, 21, 39, 41, 44]
Reichardia picroides (L.) Roth	Asteraceae	Caccialepre (c, g), scaccialepre, caccialè (g)	Leaves	Med: leaves eaten or in infusion as depurative [21, 37]; refreshing [37], diuretic, analgesic, anti-scorbutic; fresh crushed leaves to heal toothache and headache [43]
Reichardia picroides (L.) Roth	Asteraceae	Caccialepre (c, g), scaccialepre, caccialè (g)	Leaves	Food: leaves raw in salads, boiled in vegetable mixtures [4, 21, 30, 34, 37, 39, 41, 44]
Robinia pseudoacacia L.	Fabaceae	Scarpette della madonna (o), cascia (g)	Flowers	Med: flowers decoction sedative [30]
				Food: flowers fried in sweet batters; for flavouring grappa [4, 30, 42, 45]
				Sup/rel: flowers used in St. John’s water; in ‘infiorata’ [4, 37]
				Mix: flowers used in floral decorations in churches
			Leaves	Vet: some leaves for feeding rabbits (‘for other animals they are poisonous’)	Leaves in fodder [37]
			Seeds	Sup/rel: dried seeds used to make rosaries
			Roots	Mix: roots used to make ties
			Wood	Dom: wood used as firewood [37]
Rosa canina L.	Rosaceae	Rosa selvatica (c, o, g), rosa di macchia (o)	Fruits (pseudo-fruits), without internal hair	Med: fruit infusion as febrifuge
				Food: fruit used to make jams (sometimes with apples) [4, 44]
				Vet: fruit for feeding hens
				Cosm: crushed fruit as beauty mask
				Recr: fruit to make necklaces [37]
			Leaves	Med: fresh leaf infusion to heal wounds, as cicatrizer
			Flowers	Med: petals macerated in vinegar to heal insect bites; petal infusion as laxative, diuretic [37]
				Food: petals used to make liquors [37]
				Sup/rel: flowers used in St. John’s water; ‘infiorata’ [4]
				Cosm: petals in infusion for a month in water to make water rose [26]
				Dom: perfume for the house
Rosmarinus officinalis L.	Lamiaceae		Leaves, flowers	Med: leaf infusion with wine and honey as tonic [4, 25, 30]; leaf decoction as digestive [21, 42]; leaf and flowers pack as cicatrizer; plant was smelled as tonic
				Food: leaves and flowers for flavouring, for filling ravioli [30, 41, 42, 44, 45]
				Vet: some leaves for feeding dairy cattle to flavour their milk
				Cosm: leaf decoction to shine hair; in bath water and in ointments as skin tonic [26]
				Sup/rel: plant has predictive value; for protective use on St. John’s night, see Artemisia vulgaris
Rubus ulmifolius Schott	Rosaceae	Spino, more (g)	Leaves	Med: leaves decoction to heal oral cavity inflammations [4, 25]
			Fruits	Food: fruit eaten raw, for making jams (sometimes with strawberries), for flavouring grappa [4, 41, 44]
			Whole plants	Prov: ‘Il rovo dice < Nella terra meglio io covo>’ [4]
Rumex obtusifolius L.	Polygonaceae	Rombice (o, g)	Roots	Med: root decoction as tonic
			Leaves	Med: leaf pack to heal burns [21]
			Leaves	Food: boiled leaves in vegetable mixtures [39]
Rumex pulcher L.	Polygonaceae		Roots, leaves	Med: roots and leaf decoction as anti-diarrhoeal	Similar use for Rumex crispus L. [37]
Rumex pulcher L.	Polygonaceae		Leaves	Vet: for feeding livestock [21]
Ruscus aculeatus L.	Asparagaceae	Piccasorci (g)	Shoots	Food: boiled young shoots to make omelettes [4, 24, 41, 44, 45]
Ruta graveolens L.	Rutaceae		Leaves	Med: plant sniffed as vermifuge [4, 23]; a leaf a day eaten to strengthening eyesight [37]; raw leaves eaten to heal stomach ache; pack with leaf decoction to heal tired eyes [4]
				Food: some raw leaves in salads [23], for flavouring meat, fish, liqueurs
				Vet: plant can cause intestinal problems for cattle
				Sup/rel: leaf in the pocket has protective use; for protective use on St. John’s night, see Artemisia vulgaris
				Rep: some plants planted near orchard to keep parasites and rats away [21, 23]
				Prov: ‘La ruta fa venir la vista acuta’
Salix alba L.	Salicaceae	Moia (g)	Twigs	Mix: twigs used to make ties and baskets [23]
Salix viminalis L.	Salicaceae	Vimini, vengo (c), vimine, vincio (g)	Twigs	Mix: twigs used to make ties [37]
Salsola soda L.	Amaranthaceae	Roscani (o)	Leaves	Med: raw leaves or in decoction as depurative and refreshing
Salsola soda L.	Amaranthaceae	Roscani (o)	Leaves	Food: boiled leaves as side dish
Salvia officinalis L.	Lamiaceae		Leaves	Med: leaf infusion is used as stomachic [27, 36], digestive [21], hypotensive [21], to heal diarrhoea
				Food: raw leaves flavouring meat, fried [4, 21, 37, 41]
				Vet: leaves as feed for dairy cattle for flavouring their milk
				Sup/rel: plant related to some magic rituals
				Cosm: fresh leaf rubbed on teeth as whitening, for refreshing breath [4, 26, 37]
				Dom: dried leaves to perfume linen
				Prov: ‘La salvia salva’
Salvia verbenaca L.	Lamiaceae	Salvia selvatica (o, g), betonica, bettonica, brettonica, vettonica (c)	Leaves	Med: crushed fresh leaves to heal wounds [21, 31], as cicatrizer [27], dried leaves smoked to heal headache; leaf infusion with honey and lemon as digestive
				Cosm: fresh leaves rubbed on teeth as whitening	Similar use for Salvia officinalis L. [37, 26, 4,]; as toothpaste [37]
				Dye: leaves used as yellow dye
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: plant used as protective against devils eye [37]
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘Sa più cose della Bettonica’
Sambucus nigra L.	Adoxaceae	Albero delle streghe (o)	Flowers	Med: flowers infusion to heal cough [21, 27, 33, 37]
				Food: flowers fried in sweet batter [4, 30]
				Dom: for ripening apples, they were alternated with elder flowers [37]
			Leaves	Med: boiled leaves to heal abscesses [4, 21, 31]
			Leaves	Rep: leaf decoction to keep ants away [36]
			Shoots	Cosm: shoots put in olive oil and exposed to sun to make cream for chapped hands	Similar use with medulla [25]
			Fruits	Vet: crushed fruit infusion used to improve colour of cow tails
				Dye: fruit used to dye clothes blue and violet, in boiling water [37]
				Mix: crushed fruit boiled in vinegar to make ink [37]
			Wood	Craft: to make handles, tools [37]
			Wood	Recr: empty wood used to make blowguns [4]
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: thought that plant had seven virtues, so it had to be respected by bowing seven times in front of it [37]
			Whole plant	Prov: ‘Spogliati quando il sambuco si veste’ [4]
Sanguisorba minor Scop.	Rosaceae		Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as anti-diarrhoeal* [25, 37], to heal wounds and burns
				Food: raw leaves in salads [4, 30, 34, 39, 42]
				Vet: leaves as galactagogue feed for livestock [37]
				Prov: ‘L’insalata non è bella se non c’è la pimpinella’ [4]
Saponaria officinalis L.	Caryophyllaceae		Aerial part	Cosm: leaf decoction to wash hair [37]
Satureja montana L.	Lamiaceae		Leaves	Med: leaf infusion to heal oral cavity inflammation [21, 37]
Satureja montana L.	Lamiaceae		Leaves	Food: for flavouring meat, omelettes [21, 37], vinegar
Scabiosa columbaria L.	Caprifoliaceae	Erba di campo (g)	Leaves	Food: boiled basal rosette as individual side dish [39]
Silene latifolia subsp. alba (Mill.) Greuter and Burdet	Caryophyllaceae	Boccon di pecora (o)	Leaves	Food: boiled leaves (with corn cake) [37, 39]
Silene latifolia subsp. alba (Mill.) Greuter and Burdet	Caryophyllaceae	Boccon di pecora (o)	Leaves	Vet: some leaves in livestock feed
Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke	Caryophyllaceae	Consigli, colcigli (g)	Leaves	Food: boiled leaves as individual side dish for risotto, omelettes [24]
Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke	Caryophyllaceae	Consigli, colcigli (g)	Flowers	Recr: children played to make flower burst to produce biggest noise [37]
Sinapis alba L.	Brassicaceae	Rapetta (o, g), rapacciola (g)	Seed	Med: poultice of seeds as anti-rheumatic
				Food: to flavour apricots in vinegar
				Prov: ‘Far venire al senape al naso’
			Leaves	Food: raw leaves in salads [39, 41, 44, 48]
			Leaves	Vet: some leaves in livestock feed [37]
Solanum tuberosum L.	Solanaceae		Tuber	Med: some slices as emollient to heal burns [23]
Sonchus arvensis L.	Asteraceae	Grespigno (c)	Leaves	Food: basal rosette raw in salads or boiled in vegetable mixtures [37, 39, 42]
Sonchus arvensis L.	Asteraceae	Grespigno (c)	Leaves	Vet: leaves as galactagogue for rabbits
Sonchus asper (L.) Hill	Asteraceae	Grespigna, grispigna (o), crispigne, grispigne, grespigne (g)	Leaves	Med: leaves as galactagogue [37]
			Leaves	Food: boiled leaves in vegetable mixtures, soups, for filling ravioli [34, 39, 41, 42, 44]
			Roots	Food: roasted roots used as substitute for coffee
Sonchus oleraceus (L.) L.	Asteraceae		Leaves	Med: leaf cooking water as diuretic [27]; leaf decoctions to heal kidney stones [25]
Sonchus oleraceus (L.) L.	Asteraceae		Leaves	Food: boiled leaves in vegetable mixtures [4, 34, 39, 41, 44]
Sorbus domestica L.	Rosaceae	Sorbo, sorba (g)	Fruits	Med: fruit decoctions as blood depurative
Sorbus domestica L.	Rosaceae	Sorbo, sorba (g)	Fruits	Food: raw fruits, for jams [37, 41, 42, 45]
Spartium junceum L.	Fabaceae		Flowers	Sup/rel: flowers in St. John’s water; in ‘infiorata’ [4, 23]
			Flowers	Vet: crushed flowers against parasites in livestock	Similar medicinal use [26]
			Stems	Mix: stem used to make ties and fibres [37]
			Whole plant	Sup/rel: magical qualities were attributed to the plant because it resists fires
Stachys annua (L.) L.	Lamiaceae	Erba ella madonna (c)	Leaves	Med: leaves infusion used to wash face to heal headache	Similar use for Stachys sp. [26]; Stachis recta [21]
Stachys annua (L.) L.	Lamiaceae	Erba ella madonna (c)	Whole plants	Sup/rel: plant used to protect against envy and bad luck [24]
Stachys officinalis (L.) Trevisan	Lamiaceae		Aerial part	Dye: plant used to dye wool yellow
Tanacetum balsamita L.	Asteraceae	Caciarola (g)	Leaves	Food: leaves used for flavouring omelettes [39]
Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Sch. Bip.	Asteraceae	Matrecara, erba amara (c)	Leaves	Med: raw leaves to heal headache [38]; leaf infusion digestive [37]
			Leaves	Food: leaves to make sweet pancakes [37]
			Flowers	Med: eat flowers or flower decoction as vermifuge [37]
			Flowers	Food: flowers used for flavouring vinegar
			Whole plants	Rep: plants left grow up near granaries to keep rats away	Similar use [37]
Taraxacum campylodes G. E. Haglund	Asteraceae	Soffione (o, c, g), pisciacane (o, c, g), dente di leone (c), cicoriella (g)	Roots	Med: roots decoction as depurative [37], diuretic, and laxative
			Roots	Food: roasted roots as coffee substitute [37]
			Leaves	Food: basal rosettes raw in salads, boiled in vegetable mixtures as side dishes [4, 34, 37, 39, 41, 42, 44]
			Leaves	Vet: leaves as feeding for livestock [37], in particular for healing meteorism
			Flowers	Recr: children express wish and blow the achens [37]
Thymus vulgaris L.	Lamiaceae		Leaves	Med: leaf ointment as decongestant and expectorant [21]
Thymus vulgaris L.	Lamiaceae		Leaves	Rep: dried leaves as repellent for moths in drawers
Tilia cordata Mill.	Malvaceae	Tijo (o)	Flowers, bracts	Med: flowers and bracts infusion to heal cough [23]; in bath water as sedative for babies [37]; in pack for tired eyes
Tragopogon pratensis L.	Asteraceae		Leaves	Food: young leaves boiled as individual side dishes or to make omelettes [24]
Trifolium pratense L.	Fabaceae	Pane del latte (o)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as expectorant [27, 37]
			Leaves	Vet: feed for livestock [37]
			Flowers	Food: fried flowers in salt batter	Different food uses of flowers [35, 42]
			Aerial part	Recr: depending on where leaves are oriented, guess where the storm is coming from
Trifolium repens L.	Fabaceae		Leaves, flowers	Med: leaf infusion as anti-rheumatic [37]	Guarrera 2006
				Food: leaves and flowers sautéed with onion and potatoes as side dish; flowers for flavouring bread	Different food use in [35]
				Vet: feed for livestock	Similar use for T. pratense [37]
Triticum turgidum L.	Poaceae		Seeds	Med: boiled or hot wheat on skin as anti-rheumatic [37]
Triticum turgidum L.	Poaceae		Ears	Sup/rel: four ears as cross on St. John’s water; take some ears into the house as good luck talisman; stems and ears used in ‘festa del Covo’
Ulmus minor Mill.	Ulmaceae	Olmo, olmo viscio (g)	Leaves	Vet: leaves as winter feed for livestock (‘la fronda’) [24]
			Branches, wood	Sup/rel: *branches used for ‘forche di S. Giovanni’ (St. John’s forks) during St. John’s day*
				Craft: wood used to make many tools, like the stick to turn polenta [37]
				Mix: young branches used to make ties [37]
Urospermum dalechampii (L.) Scop. ex F.W.Schmidt	Asteraceae	Grugno amaro, grugno (g)	Leaves	Food: basal rosette boiled in vegetable mixtures [4, 21, 34, 39, 41], sautéed, for filling ‘crescia’ and ‘piadina’
Urtica dioica L.	Urticaceae	Urtiga (o), ortiga, erba cattiva (c), urtica (g)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as depurative [27, 37]; boiled leaves in pack to heal wounds [31]; crushed leaves in the nose to stop nose bleed [37]
				Food: boiled leaves as individual side dishes or in vegetable mixtures, for seasoning risotto, gnocchi, for filling ravioli, to make omelettes [4, 21, 30, 34, 41, 42, 44, 45]; to make tea with peppermint
				Vet: leaves for feeding hens, turkeys and geese [23, 33]; to increase egg laying;to heal digestion problem in cattle
				Cosm: leaf infusions to heal dandruff, to prevent hair loss, to wash oily hair [26]
				Sup/rel: leaves used in good luck practice
				Dye: plant cooking water used to dye fishnets green [37]
				Rep: leaf decoction to keep parasites away from orchard [21, 37]
			whole plant	Prov: “Essere come l’erba cattiva”
Valeriana officinalis L.	Caprifoliaceae		Leaves	Food: *raw leaves in salads*
			Roots	Med: root macerate as sedative [37]
			Plant	Sup/rel: plant is used to protect against devil’s eye
Verbena officinalis L.	Verbenaceae	Pianta per l’ematoma (c)	Leaves	Med: crushed fresh leaves on bruises [25]
Veronica persica Poir.	Plantaginaceae		Leaves	Food: some raw leaves in salads
			Leaves, flowers	Cosm: infusion as refreshing for the face
			Whole plants	Sup/rel: had to say an Ave Maria if plant was trampled; plant use as amulet during trips
Vicia faba L.	Fabaceae		Pod	Med: pods used to heal warts with a particular ritual: warts marked with a bean without a pronounced embryo, saying ‘Secchete fava, secchete porro’ (dry up beans, dry up wart!), after 40 days bean was thrown into well	Magic ritual to heal wounds in [37]
				Vet: milled beans as feed for turkeys
				Sup/rel: pod has predictive value [37]
Vicia sativa L.	Fabaceae	Vicia (o)	Leaves	Med: leaf pack on bruises [37]
			Leaves	Vet: for feeding livestock [37]
			Seeds	Food: milled pods to make bread [36]
Viola alba Besser	Violaceae	Violetta (g)	Leaves	Med: leaf infusion as anti-cough [23, 43]
			Leaves	Food: *raw leaves in salads* [37]
			Flowers	Food: to make jam (with apples) [48]
Viscum album L.	Santalaceae		Whole plants	Sup/rel: plant with fruit is considered lucky charm during Christmas period
Vitis vinifera L.	Vitaceae		Leaves	Med: leaf decoction to heal chilblains [27, 37], to heal diarrhoea; leaf pack as eye decongestant [36]
			Leaves	Mix: dried leaves as tobacco substitute [37]
			Fruits	Med: fruit eaten as depurative
			Wood	Wood: wood used in protective ritual
Wisteria sinensis (Sims) Sweet	Fabaceae		Flowers	Sup/rel: flowers used in ‘infiorata’ [37]
Zea mays L.	Poaceae	Granturco	Leaves	Dom: dried leaves to fill mattresses [4, 23]
			Corncob	Recr: corncobs used for making dolls [37]
			Corns	Vet: corns as feeding for hens [37]
			Culm	Dom: dried culms to light the fire [37]

The table lists all of the ethnobotanical uses found for the three survey areas of the Ancona district. The information given includes name of the species, botanical family, local names, parts used, and types of use. The ‘references for similar use’ column reports similar use or the same use for a different part of the plant. The new uses are marked in bold, while the new food uses for the Marche region are in bold italic. In the column ‘local name’, o indicates the local name in the Osimo area, c in the Conero area, and g in the Gola della Rossa–Frasassi area
Med, medicinal uses; Food, food uses; Vet, veterinary uses; Cosm, cosmetic uses; Sup/rel, superstitious/religious uses; Dye, dyeing uses; Craft, craft uses; Recr, recreational uses; Dom, domestic uses; Prov, local sayings and proverbs; Rep, repellent uses; Mix, miscellaneous uses

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ISSN: 1746-4269

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