Gundelia tournefortii L. (Akkoub): a review of a valuable wild vegetable from Eastern Mediterranean

Gundelia tournefortii L. (Asteraceae) is an artichoke-like wild edible vegetable that grows in the semi-arid climate of the East Mediterranean. Due to its high cultural and economic values for culinary and therapeutic uses, this plant is exposed to overharvesting driven by household consumption and trade, threatening the survival of natural populations. Some limited data on the nutrient composition of G. tournefortii exists indicating presence of folic acid and several essential amino acids. Research on seed germination reports that mechanical scarification, gibberellic acid, and cold stratification are all effective treatments for seed dormancy breaking and therefore to propagate plants from seed. Successful vegetative propagation from the plant meristems is also available. However, despite some exceptions, the species is still not widely cultivated due to its thorny habit and complex seed germination requirements, and the ability to ensure seed germination under natural field conditions remains to be addressed.