Review of ethnobotanical research in Croatia

Croatia covers a geographically heterogeneous area influenced by different climates, which has contributed to the great biodiversity of plant species. Its geographic position at the crossroad of western and eastern European cultural influences has left a mark on the local customs, which is still evident to this day. Therefore, there is also a diverse use of wild species uses in Croatia which also varies by region. The aim of this research was to provide an overview of the current ethnobotanical research in Croatia and to identify areas not sufficiently investigated, as posing a valuable source of traditional knowledge worth preserving. The Scopus database was used to search for recent scientific studies. The research provides a summary of the number of species recorded, plant families, the most commonly used wild food plants, medicinal plants, and medicinal uses of recorded species. Reviewing the data, it was observed that mainly coastal parts and islands of Croatia have been explored. Rural inland areas remain scarcely investigated and are at the risk of permanent loss of traditional knowledge from the local elder population. Our paper gives propositions on what future research should focus on. The recorded knowledge of the nutritional and medicinal value of the used wild plant species could enable their reuse and contribute to the preservation of their biodiversity.