Floristic inventory of wild edible plants in the Tirli area (Northern Maremma, Italy)

Mario Pentassuglia ¹, Tiziana Lombardi ¹, Giovanni Bambi ¹, Irene Ventura ¹, Benedetta D'Ambrosio ¹, Andrea Bertacchi ¹, Laura Pistelli ¹

Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto, 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy ¹

Ethnobotanical studies are essential for the documentation and preservation of traditional knowledge on the use of alimurgical wild plants. This study focused on the cultural traditions and ecological systems deeply interconnected in Tirli, a small village located in the heart of Maremma territory. The region’s meso-Mediterranean climate and diverse habitats provide environmental conditions that support remarkable floristic biodiversity. Field surveys conducted in 2023 and 2024 documented the floristic diversity of alimurgical plants. Data collection emphasized life-forms, chorological types and edible plant organs. Biochemical analyses conducted on selected species highlighted the content of primary metabolites (chlorophyll, carotenoids and sugars) and secondary metabolites (polyphenols and flavonoids), as well as the antioxidant activity. The floristic inventory recorded 128 taxa of Angiosperms distributed in 46 families and 106 genera. The most represented families are Asteraceae (26 taxa), Rosaceae (10 taxa) and Lamiaceae (8 taxa). The dominant life-forms include scapose Hemicryptophytes, scapose Therophytes and rosulate Hemicryptophytes. The analysis of chorological types revealed a prevalence of Euro-Mediterranean, Sub-Cosmopolitan and Steno-Mediterranean distributions, alongside the identification of one endemic species, Centaurea nigrescens Willd. subsp. pinnatifida (Fiori) Dostál. This endemic taxon, recorded for the first time in the Maremma territory during this study, enriches the floristic knowledge of the area, emphasizing the need for its ecological conservation. There is a strong association between Hemicryptophytes and Euro-Mediterranean distributions, as well as between Therophytes and wide distribution chorological type. Statistical analysis highlighted key relationships between life-forms and edible uses of specific plant organs, with scapose and rosulate Hemicryptophytes were linked to leaf use, scapose Therophytes to root use and Phanerophytes to fruit use. Asteraceae family show exceptional versatility, being associated with multiple edible parts, while Rosaceae are strongly linked to fruits. The findings highlight how the wild alimurgical flora of the Tuscan Maremma reflects an interplay between ecological adaptations and cultural practices. The most representative plants consumed by the local population were collected during their flowering period and further investigated for the determination of some bioactive compounds, such as photosynthetic pigments, primary metabolites (soluble sugars, proteins), secondary metabolites (polyphenols and flavonoids), and their respective antioxidant activity. The analyses confirmed notable variability among species. Sonchus oleraceus L. is characterized by the highest photosynthetic pigment content, followed by Cichorium intybus L. and Umbilicus rupestris (Salisb.) Dandy. Several plants exhibited a ratio chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b (range 2-3), referred to a normal growing condition. Clinopodium vulgare L. subsp. vulgare, Plantago coronopus L. and Myrtus communis L. exhibited the lowest concentration of pigments and nitrogen, but the higher polyphenols content with a significant antioxidant activity. Hypericum perforatum L. subsp. veronense (Schrank) Ces. and Laurus nobilis L. showed a notably high sugar content. This study identified the wild alimurgical flora of Tirli as a critical resource for biodiversity conservation and cultural heritage, with significant nutritional and functional value. The integration of ethnobotanical, ecological and biochemical analyses provides a robust framework for promoting the sustainable food use of wild plant species in both traditional and modern contexts.

Main author career stage: Master student

Contribution type: Talk

First choice session: 6. Plants, Fungi and Society

Second choice session: 1. Systematics, phylogenetics, biogeography and evolution