Table 3.

Local market potential of the most quoted wild gastronomic and medicinal herbs (excluding wild berries) in the upper Varaita valley

Species	Estimated ecological availability in the upper Varaita valley	Gathering permitted in the Cuneo Province	Estimated potential for the local market (details)
Achillea herba-rotta (herb)	Medium	Aerial parts corresponding to five plant samples; up to 1 kg (dried aerial parts) if special permission is obtained from local authorities.	High (dried herb to be sold as a tea).
Arnica montana (flowers)	Medium	Aerial parts corresponding to five plant samples; up to 5 kg (dried flowers/roots) if special permission is obtained from local authorities.	High (dried flowers to be sold as a tea).
Artemisia absinthium (herb)	High	Aerial parts corresponding to five plant samples; up to 2 kg (dried aerial parts). if special permission is obtained from local authorities.	Low (dried herbs to be sold as a tea); Medium (ingredient of home-made digestives).
Artemisia genipi, A. glacialis, A. umbelliformis (aerial parts and flowers)	Low	Aerial parts corresponding to five plant samples; up to 1 kg of each species (dried aerial parts). if special permission is obtained from local authorities.	Very low, given the limited ecological availability.
Carum carvi (fruits)	Medium-high	Not clear: aerial parts corresponding to five plant samples or unlimited gathering. Unlimited gathering, due to the fact that the plant can be considered "commonly consumed" in the study area.	High (dried fruits as a tea or seasoning).
Chenopodium bonus-henricus (leaves)	Very high	Unlimited gathering, due to the fact that the plant can be considered "commonly consumed" in the study area.	High (as a preserved vegetable?)
Gentiana acaulis (leaves and flowers)	Medium-low	Aerial parts corresponding to five plant samples	Low (as an ingredient for digestives) due to the limited availability in the area.
Gentiana lutea (roots)	High	Up to 10 kg (dried roots), if special permission is obtained from local authorities.	High (dried root as a tea or ingredient for digestives).
Malva spp.	High	Unlimited gathering, due to the fact that the plant can be considered "commonly consumed" in the area.	Medium (as a tea or as a preserved vegetable).
Peucedanum ostruthium (roots)	Medium-low	Up to 2 kg (dried roots), if special permission is obtained from local authorities.	Low (as a tea).
Pinus cembra (cones)	Low	Theoretically unlimited.	Low (as an ingredient for digestives) due to the limited availability.
Polygonum bistorta (leaves)	High	Unlimited gathering, due to the fact that the plant can be considered "commonly consumed" in the area.	Medium (as a preserved vegetable).
Rumex alpinus (leaves/stalks)	Medium	Unlimited gathering, due to the fact that the plant can be considered "commonly consumed" in the area.	Low (as a preserved vegetable).
Tanacetum vulgare (leaves)	Medium	Aerial parts corresponding to five plant samples; up to 5 kg (dried aerial parts) if special permission is obtained from local authorities.	High (as a tea or as an ingredient for digestives).
Taraxacum officinale (leaves)	High	Unlimited gathering, due to the fact that the plant can be considered "commonly consumed" in the area.	High (as a preserved vegetable or a tea).
Tragopogon pratensis (leaves and flower buds)	Medium	Unlimited gathering, due to the fact that the plant can be considered "commonly consumed" in the area.	High (as a preserved vegetable).
Urtica spp. (leaves)	High	Unlimited gathering, due to the fact that the plant can be considered "commonly consumed" in the area.	Low (as a preserved vegetable).
Veronica allionii (flowering aerial parts)	Low	Aerial parts corresponding to five plant samples.	Low (as a tea) due to the limited availability in the area.