Ethnobotanical study on the use of Sideritis scardica Griseb. in North Macedonia

About 350 wild medicinal species that exist in the territory of North Macedonia are used in traditional medicine. Apart from medicinal purposes, medicinal plants are also used for culinary and recreational purposes. Among the medicinal plant species, the endemic species Sideritis scardica Griseb., whose presence has been recorded in the Balkans, has a special place. History, tradition and oral transmission of medicinal recipes speak for the daily use of this plant since ancient times. Wanting to preserve the traditional knowledge of S. scardica Griseb. from oblivion, the purpose of this research is to document its use in everyday life, especially its traditional use. As part of this research, an ethnobotanical survey was conducted in the period from June to September 2024 in North Macedonia. One hundred respondents were included in the research, and the obtained results showed that the respondents are well acquainted with this plant. The folk name Mountain tea is the most commonly used in our country. This plant is mostly used in the form of tea for recreational purposes (80%), while only 20% for medicinal reasons. Percentage-wise, Mountain tea is mostly used for the treatment of colds, followed by urinary, digestive and respiratory problems. In our country, people prefer buying the plant to collecting it in nature. This research provides data on the traditional use of S. scardica Griseb. in North Macedonia, and hence suggests that, in order to avoid the loss of traditional knowledge, greater efforts are needed to preserve and record the knowledge of use, not only for this plant but also for other medicinal plants.