Marc Moll collects the vegetation of the Balearic Islands, in his new plant guide

Under the name Guía de plantas silvestres medicinales de Menorca, Mallorca y Pitiüses, the botanist Marc Moll, on April 26, presented his new compendium, a collection of more than 650 species of medicinal wild plants. In it, he presents the active principles, medicinal properties, preparations, applications and ethnobotany of each of the plants present, both in Menorca and in the neighboring islands. Thus discovering that the Balearic vegetation is much more united than it may seem. From Foodies on Menorca we were able to talk to the professional.

How did this new publication come about?

I started this work about five years ago. When, doing various workshops, both in Mallorca and in the Pitiüses, I learned a lot about the different traditional uses that have been given to the various plants. And how similar or different these were to those of Menorca. In addition, and this is something that I have noticed for a long time, I also saw how little information people have about the plants around them, they do not know them enough. So, with these statements, I decided that the time had come to make a guide, a collection, of the different species of wild plants, but not only of Menorca, but of all the islands.

There are differences on each island, of course, but we have many common species. And the uses that we have given them, as I say, are sometimes added, others completely different, and others very similar. We considered it interesting to be able to collect everything.

And how did you start working, after this first decision?

Through the various workshops, and other research, I created a kind of script, and started making cards for each plant. Until we reached the final result that is now available to everyone.

It took us so many years because the guide has been transformed. It started out with 800 pages, and now it has 500. We had to reduce it a lot so that it wouldn't be too long. In addition, we also present several photographs that we have taken on location, and the representation of the different plants through drawings, also made for this publication. We have had different professionals to carry out this publication.

But in addition to presenting the plants, we also wanted to take it a little further, and show the different popular ways of naming the species, as well as proverbs, sayings and glosses that are related to it. The richness of the different ways of naming the same plant according to the island, or the popular culture behind it, we believe makes the book a much more interesting and useful guide.

For example, the book mentions that in Ibiza, rosemary is called beneit, and the etymology of this word is also explained. And the fact is that at Easter the priest would bless people from house to house with this plant.

That is, in addition to presenting the various species, the reader will also be able to learn about the differences and similarities in the popular culture of each island...

Exactly. The idea is that the reader can know what a plant is called in Menorca, but also in Mallorca. And at the same time understand the popular beliefs that have revolved around that species, as well as the different applications that have been used. But also that they are used. Because of course, we are talking about tradition, old applications, but nowadays these have also evolved, the needs with plants, and a current vision must also be given. Or is this what we have tried.

Will there be a version of the book in Catalan, or has it only been made in Spanish?

Of course. The idea is to wait a bit to see what people's response is to it. But yes, from the beginning this guide has been designed to be published in Catalan. But due to different circumstances, finally, the first edition has ended up being made in Spanish. Although, and obviously, all the proverbs, glosses, sayings and popular names of plants - 3,400 Balearic names appear - have been maintained in Catalan.

This is a book that I have self-published and self-edited by myself, with the help of several professionals, such as photographers, graphic designers, illustrators, botanists from the other islands... but which does not have any publisher behind it. In fact, I have had the help of some sponsors who have allowed me to publish this first edition in Spanish. I am now looking for sponsors, or entities, that want to participate in the edition in Catalan.

At the moment we have only printed 300 copies, and the idea is that it works a bit on demand. That people who want it ask me. And that way we can also improve and expand the guide.

Finally, what type of audience is this book for? That is, is it a guide that everyone can understand, or do you have to have certain prior knowledge?

The initial idea of ??this guide was that it could be accessible to everyone. That is why we have also added a lot of popular culture, because it does not only present botanical or scientific terms. It is at a level accessible to everyone. A person who has no knowledge about it can learn a lot; but one who already has some notions, too. The idea is that with this guide everyone learns different things. In addition to being a cultural exchange between islands, very key.