Identification and investigation of ethnobotanical plants of rangeland wild edible plants in Shahrud(Stakeholders of Rangelands of Bastam district in northeast of Semnan province)

Wild edible plants is an important part of the human diet throughout history and are still affordable and widely accepted in food security. Based on the results of the research, these plants are valuable for survival during times of food shortage, a supplement to the daily diet, providing a source of income in developing populations, and as part of the identity of local communities. They can also be important genetic resources for obtaining new crops with better performance and taste. For natural ecosystems management, the value of preserving and exploiting medicinal and edible plants of rangelands is one of the most important values of rangelands. In this regard, the present study was conducted in order to identify and document the ethnobotanical knowledge related to the wild edible plants of Bastam rangelands, which are used in the social and economic life of local communities and a wide variety of these plants has taken a significant part of the diet among local communities.

This research was done in order to record the wild edible plants of the Rangelands of Bastam district, which is one of the summer rangelands of Semnan province. Field surveys were carried out in 2021 and 2022, so that the botany knowledge of people was recorded using field observations, participatory observations and semi-structured interviews from 44 interviewees in 12 villages of the region during field work. The relative frequency of quotation index (RFC) and use value Index (UV) were used as quantitative indices for data analysis.

The results of this study showed that a total of 39 species of wild edible plants belonging to 16 families and 29 genera were identified in the study area. The largest plant species in the region are: Lamiaceae (7 plant species) followed by Asteraceae (6 species) and Amaryllidaceae and Apiaceae (each with 5 species). The dominant vegetative form of plants in the area was herbs. Among the used plant parts, young leaves (21 species) were the most used plant parts and then young aerial parts (16 species). Studies also showed that among different modes of consumption, most of the food species were cooked (30 species). On the other hand, Human age had a positive relationship with traditional knowledge in the use of wild edible plants in the studied area, and women have a higher level of native knowledge in using wild edible plants than men. Among the identified species, Sabi (Allium iranicum), Siyr kelagh (Allium umbilicatum), Shengi (Tragopogon graminifolius), Jiyjo (Lepidium draba) and Ghazeneh (Urtica dioica) had the highest use value (UV).

The findings of this study can make a significant contribution to the identification, conservation and use of wild edible plants in the study area as a food source, and since no ethnobotanical study has been reported from Shahrud city, especially about wild edible plants. Therefore, it seems that the results of this study can provide valuable information about wild edible plants from the rangelands of this region. Also, the identification of these plants for conservation strategies and sustainable use requires close cooperation with local communities who are the main users of these plants.