Green Christmas: bryophytes as ornamentals in Croatian traditional nativity scenes
Abstract Background The bryophytes are a plant group that is smaller than and not as well known as the vascular plants. They are less used and are almost completely neglected in ethnobotanical studies. Traditional nativity scenes depicting the birth of Christ are commonly decorated with both vascula...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-022-00516-w |
| _version_ | 1818137575116767232 |
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| author | Marija Bučar Vedran Šegota Anja Rimac Nikola Koletić Tihana Marić Antun Alegro |
| author_facet | Marija Bučar Vedran Šegota Anja Rimac Nikola Koletić Tihana Marić Antun Alegro |
| author_sort | Marija Bučar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The bryophytes are a plant group that is smaller than and not as well known as the vascular plants. They are less used and are almost completely neglected in ethnobotanical studies. Traditional nativity scenes depicting the birth of Christ are commonly decorated with both vascular plants and bryophytes. The aim of this study was to document the diversity of decorative bryophytes sold during the Advent season at farmers’ markets in Croatia (Southeastern Europe, Balkan Peninsula). Methods Twenty-eight farmers’ markets in the two largest Croatian cities (Zagreb in the continental part and Split in the Mediterranean part) were studied in the search for local vendors selling bryophytes during the pre-Christmas season. The bryophytes collected were identified and analysed with respect to families, growth type, life forms and threat status. Results Among 275 collected specimens, 43 moss and four liverwort species were identified. The mean number of species per vendor was 3.5. The most frequent species were Hypnum cupressiforme, Homalothecium sericeum and Ctenidium molluscum. Mats, wefts and tufts were the most common life-forms, while pleurocarpous prevailed over acrocarpous mosses, as they are usually pinnately branched and form large carpets, suitable for decorations. The overall selection of bryophytes and the decorations made of them were more diverse and abundant in inland Croatia, where 49 vendors at 15 farmers’ markets sold goods containing 43 species. In Mediterranean Croatia, at six farmers’ markets only 29 vendors sold goods, which contained 18 species. A considerable number of species that are less attractive to harvesters were collected non-intentionally, entangled in carpets of other, more frequent species. Among them, Rhodobryum ontariense and Loeskeobryum brevirostre are rare and insufficiently recorded in Croatia so far. Conclusions The present study provided a first perspective on the use of bryophytes in traditional nativity scenes in Croatia and Southeastern Europe, contributing to scarce ethnobotanical documentation of the decorative use of bryophytes in Christmas festivities in Europe and globally. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T09:58:29Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d5f6ce38bc5b4092bd03109cd11ace8d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1746-4269 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T09:58:29Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-d5f6ce38bc5b4092bd03109cd11ace8d2022-12-22T01:12:11ZengBMCJournal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine1746-42692022-03-0118111210.1186/s13002-022-00516-wGreen Christmas: bryophytes as ornamentals in Croatian traditional nativity scenesMarija Bučar0Vedran Šegota1Anja Rimac2Nikola Koletić3Tihana Marić4Antun Alegro5Division of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of ZagrebDivision of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of ZagrebDivision of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of ZagrebDivision of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of ZagrebDepartment of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of ZagrebDivision of Botany, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of ZagrebAbstract Background The bryophytes are a plant group that is smaller than and not as well known as the vascular plants. They are less used and are almost completely neglected in ethnobotanical studies. Traditional nativity scenes depicting the birth of Christ are commonly decorated with both vascular plants and bryophytes. The aim of this study was to document the diversity of decorative bryophytes sold during the Advent season at farmers’ markets in Croatia (Southeastern Europe, Balkan Peninsula). Methods Twenty-eight farmers’ markets in the two largest Croatian cities (Zagreb in the continental part and Split in the Mediterranean part) were studied in the search for local vendors selling bryophytes during the pre-Christmas season. The bryophytes collected were identified and analysed with respect to families, growth type, life forms and threat status. Results Among 275 collected specimens, 43 moss and four liverwort species were identified. The mean number of species per vendor was 3.5. The most frequent species were Hypnum cupressiforme, Homalothecium sericeum and Ctenidium molluscum. Mats, wefts and tufts were the most common life-forms, while pleurocarpous prevailed over acrocarpous mosses, as they are usually pinnately branched and form large carpets, suitable for decorations. The overall selection of bryophytes and the decorations made of them were more diverse and abundant in inland Croatia, where 49 vendors at 15 farmers’ markets sold goods containing 43 species. In Mediterranean Croatia, at six farmers’ markets only 29 vendors sold goods, which contained 18 species. A considerable number of species that are less attractive to harvesters were collected non-intentionally, entangled in carpets of other, more frequent species. Among them, Rhodobryum ontariense and Loeskeobryum brevirostre are rare and insufficiently recorded in Croatia so far. Conclusions The present study provided a first perspective on the use of bryophytes in traditional nativity scenes in Croatia and Southeastern Europe, contributing to scarce ethnobotanical documentation of the decorative use of bryophytes in Christmas festivities in Europe and globally.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-022-00516-wBryophytesChristmasCroatiaEthnobryologyFarmers’ marketNativity scene |
| spellingShingle | Marija Bučar Vedran Šegota Anja Rimac Nikola Koletić Tihana Marić Antun Alegro Green Christmas: bryophytes as ornamentals in Croatian traditional nativity scenes Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine Bryophytes Christmas Croatia Ethnobryology Farmers’ market Nativity scene |
| title | Green Christmas: bryophytes as ornamentals in Croatian traditional nativity scenes |
| title_full | Green Christmas: bryophytes as ornamentals in Croatian traditional nativity scenes |
| title_fullStr | Green Christmas: bryophytes as ornamentals in Croatian traditional nativity scenes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Green Christmas: bryophytes as ornamentals in Croatian traditional nativity scenes |
| title_short | Green Christmas: bryophytes as ornamentals in Croatian traditional nativity scenes |
| title_sort | green christmas bryophytes as ornamentals in croatian traditional nativity scenes |
| topic | Bryophytes Christmas Croatia Ethnobryology Farmers’ market Nativity scene |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-022-00516-w |
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