This review aimed to investigate the knowledge about the use and consumption of edible flowers as part of the Mediterranean cuisine, based on ethnobotanical and ethnopharmacological studies especially from the last 10 years, and highlight their uses as a nutritious and functional food. It is also known to increase longevity and have positive effects on chronic diseases. The Mediterranean diet is acknowledged to be the healthiest dietary pattern around the world, mainly based on plant foods from the rich Mediterranean flora. These groups show relationships with types of Mediterranean diet and could also be related with human genetic polymorphism through long-term co-evolution in a geographical mosaic pattern. 800 GFP taxa that occur in more than the 5% of localities show a geographical pattern that permits one to recognize seven geographical groups. Most have been analyzed in the Local Food- Nutraceuticals project. The percentage of local gathered food plant (GFP) taxa (present in 20 samples-are consumed in most of the Mediterranean. Among these, >1,000 are only consumed in one single zone, therefore are strictly local. 2,300 different plant and fungi taxa, which are gathered and consumed in the Mediterranean. Ethnobotanical research has identified ca.
Most amid those interesting local elements are edible wild plants and weeds. The diversity of local Mediterranean food elements is not known in detail, but offers itself to search for new vegetables, salads, fruits and spices which could be used in to enrich diets outside their region of origin.