Wild Edible Plants Traditionally Collected and Used in Southern Yemen

Abstract Background: The local wild edible plants (WFPs) are still used traditionally in the rural communities in Yemen but this traditional knowledge is still undocumented and has been never reported before. Therefore, this study is the first ethnobotanical survey on WFPs conducted in Yemen.Methods: This study is based on two field surveys made between 1988 and1992 and between 2014 and 2016 to document the wild plants used as edible by local indigenous peoples in 15 districts belongs to six governorates, in southern Yemen. Information data were collected by oral face-to-face interviews from 250 informants. Percentage of citation were calculate for each species.Results: A total of 58 plant species belong to 37 genera and 21 families are reported as wild edible plants consumed in southern Yemen. Apocynaceae was the dominant plant family with 18 species followed by Asteraceae (6), and Malvaceae (5). The most widely used edible parts are stem, leaf and fruit with more than 17 species for each. Herbs were reported as the most important sources (31 species), followed by shrubs (16) and trees (9). Most of reported wild edibles (48 species parts) are consumed in raw form; only 12 of them are cooked. Seven wild edible plants were collected in dry season, 16 species throughout the year, and 38 in rainy season. In this study, 58 wild plants were reported for the first time as food in Yemen. Comparing the southern Yemeni findings to those from other world countries, 12 of them are eaten only in southern Yemen, while 46 are consumed in different world countries practically in East Africa. Conclusions: The results data reflects the strong relationship between the local peoples and the wild plants and the valuable knowledge of the uses of wild species as potential sources for traditional food. The use of these wild plants is attributed to food shortage, nutritional values, and local cultural tradition. This study preserves the oral traditional knowledge of the local wild plants used as food and/or nutraceutical sources for human in the future instead their losing at risk of time, immigration and wars.