Survey of folk use and gathering of plants in Karst and Gorjanci, Slovenia

Folk use and gathering of plants in nature was investigated in Karst and Gorjanci, Slovenia. From October 2013 to September 2014, 25 informants in each region were interviewed. Their average age was 61 years in Karst and 68 in Gorjanci. The main question was: "Which plants do you gather or did you gather in nature and use?" Plants with medicinal, veterinary, cosmetic or nutritive uses were considered. A total of 78 taxa were reported in Karst and 82 in Gorjanci; 65 taxa were mutual in both regions. Data suggest that there are minor the differences in gathering of plants between Karst and Gorjanci and they are mostly due to the natural habitat of some plants; on the other hand, regional differences in medicinal use of some commonly gathered plants were observed, e.g. 19 informants in Gorjanci (G: 19) and 16 in Karst (K: 16) gathered Chamomilla recutita. While most Karst informants used it as calmative (G: 1; K: 7), most of Gorjanci informants used it as carminative (G: 13; K: 5), respiratory infections (G: 6; K: 1), sore eyes (G: 9; K: 2) and dysmenorrhea (G: 4; K: 1). Sambucus nigra was the most frequently gathered plant (G: 24; K: 24). While most of Gorjanci informants used it for treatment of respiratory infections (G: 14; K: 5), most of Karst informants used it merely for nutritive purposes (G: 10; K: 18). Altogether 16 different medicinal preparations for oral application were reported and 15 for topical application (skin, ears, eyes and lungs). Unusual medicinal preparations were observed: browned flour soup (prežganka in Slovene) and egg omelet (frtalja in Slovene). They were prepared with bitter herbal plants (Achillea millefolium, Ruta graveolens, Tanacetum vulgare and C. recutita) and used for treatment of gastrointestinal problems. As a source of knowledge about plants, 21 informants in Gorjanci and 20 in Karst obtained oral information from at least one person. Books were reported by 10 informants in Gorjanci and 20 in Karst.

Acknowledgements: Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS).

Keywords: Karst, Gorjanci, Chamomilla recutita, Sambucus nigra, Ethnobotany.