Originality and meaning of the vernacular names of medicinal plants common in the central Middle Atlas – Morocco

Background: The vernacular naming of plants, including medicinal ones, is not the result of chance. It rather finds its roots in the use of characters and characteristics of plants. In addition to being a junction between generations and different regions of a country, it is also a result of the mixing of civilizations and cultures. This work aims to highlight the diversity and origin of the vernacular names of the most used medicinal plants in the central Middle Atlas. Methods: The combination of in-depth ethnobotanical investigations with actors of traditional medicine in the central Middle Atlas with floristic prospections in the field with the analysis of different scientific publications made it possible to highlight the most common plants in traditional medicine in the study area as well as the diversity and origin of their vernacular names. Results: In the study area, 83 plant species are frequently used in traditional herbal medicine. These plants are characterized by a heterogeneity of their vernacular names in Moroccan Darija, also known as the Moroccan dialect /or Amazigh language, indigenous language of North Africa also known as the Berber Some names are specific to the study area, others are shared with other regions. Furthermore, the study revealed that these vernacular names are not arbitrary in the majority of cases, but they find their origins in the particularities of the plant, its appearance, use, biotope or even sometimes they refer to legends. Conclusions: In Morocco, the vernacular names of medicinal plants present a rich and diverse popular vocabulary which has survived different socio-cultural metamorphoses, thus constituting an integral part of the national intangible heritage. Keywords: Vernacular names, diversity, medicinal and aromatic plants, ethnobotany, etymology, central Middle Atlas, Morocco.