Wild leafy vegetables: A potential source for a traditional Mediterranean food from Lebanon

Introduction In Lebanon, wild leafy vegetables (WLVs) continue to be an essential component of people's diet. Nevertheless, little ethnobotanical research has addressed this important potential source for food and nutrition. Methods study, survey was carried out between 2018 2022 across 21 villages/towns involving 151 local informants by semi-structured interviews. Results discussion A list 158 plant species which still gathered consumed traditional Lebanese communities compiled. The belonged families the most diverse were Asteraceae (77 species), Brassicaceae (22), Apiaceae (11). Native accounted 147 cited species, five endemics Lebanon Syria. According Relative Frequency Citation (RFC) index, Anchusa azurea, Centaurea hyalolepis, Chondrilla juncea, Eruca vesicaria, Pseudopodospermum molle, papposum , Taraxacum sect. reported first time among top popular species. Basal rosettes main parts both raw and/or cooked. Informants perceived a decline in availability primarily due habitat loss land degradation. International Union Conservation Nature (IUCN), six classified as globally threatened (EN or VU), narrow endemics. These scored substantial RFC values. Findings indicate that WEVs offer promising support diversity dietary quality endemic present high conservation priority. Future on nutritional contents these highly rated WLVs is recommended.