Plants traditionally used to make brooms in several European countries
2007

Plants Used to Make Brooms in Europe

Sample size: 108 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Anely M Nedelcheva, Yunus Dogan, Paolo Maria Guarrera

Hypothesis

What plants are traditionally used as brooms in different European cultures?

Conclusion

The study reveals a high diversity of plants traditionally used as brooms, influenced by ecological and cultural factors.

Supporting Evidence

  • The study identified about 108 species used as brooms across Bulgaria, Italy, Macedonia, and Romania.
  • Species diversity includes 106 vascular plant taxa from 37 families and 74 genera.
  • Different countries showed significant variation in the number of broom species identified.

Takeaway

This study looks at different plants people use to make brooms in Europe and how these choices are influenced by where they live and their culture.

Methodology

Data was collected through literature review, field observations, and interviews with informants in four European countries.

Limitations

The study's findings may not be comprehensive due to varying levels of ethnobotanical knowledge across the countries.

Participant Demographics

Informants were mainly retired farmers aged 38-75 living in villages.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1746-4269-3-20

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