Ethnobotanical and Economic Importance of Wild Plant Species of Jabal Moussa Bioreserve, Lebanon

Abstract

Wild plants are among the important service forests provide to man. In this study, an ethnobotanical survey of the wild plants of Jabal Moussa Bioreserve of Lebanon has been conducted through personal interviews with key community members of the bioreserve villages. The economic importance of cited ethnobotanical species was then assessed based on the commercial value of species and their relationship to economic crops. The findings revealed that 130 plant species provide the local community with a breadth of wood and non-wood products. Medicinal species ranked highest contributing to 33% of reported use followed by food and beverage (15%), fuel (12%), environmental uses (10%) and materials (8%), while the remaining 22% was shared between other uses (bee plants, poisons, cosmetics, and social uses). Based on their use-values, Ceratonia siliqua, Laurus nobilis, Prunus sp.and Rhus coriaria were among the highest-ranking tree species. Whereas, Cichorium intybus, Eryngium creticum, Gundelia tournefortii, Matricaria chamomilla, Melissa officinalis, Origanum sp., Salvia fruticosa and Viola odorata were at the forefront of herbaceous species. Considering the commercial value and relationship to economic crops, the results demonstrated a list of 21 species of actual and potential high economic importance. Findings of this study clearly indicate that numerous wild plants of Jabal Moussa Bioreserve are still in use and hold high potentiality for economic development. Further studies to map and quantify the availability of these species and develop suitable methods for their propagation and production are necessary.