The Healing Flora of Konjuh Mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Abstract

The mountain of Konjuh is characterized by a landscape of high aesthetic value with significant diversity in biological, geomorphological, and hydrological aspects. This, combined with its cultural-historical heritage, religious and traditional values, provides the foundation for educational, ecotourism, and sports-recreational tourism activities, as well as for visitor enjoyment and the development of economic activities. Located in the northeastern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Konjuh, along with Ozren, Javor, and Javornik, forms part of the chain of peripheral (higher) mountains, which, together with Trebavac and Majevica, represent the transition from the Dinaric mountain system to the vast Pannonian plain. The average elevation of the mountain is 1,000 meters. The Tuzla Canton government has passed a law declaring a portion of Konjuh Mountain, covering an area of 8,016 hectares, as a Cultural Heritage site of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The aim of this study was to systematically inventory medicinal plant species at seven sites on Konjuh Mountain in three municipalities (Kladanj, Živinice, and Banovići) at different altitudes (from 560 to 1,100 meters), classify medicinal plant species based on taxonomic and ecological attributes, and create phytocenological field records. During the research, 109 medicinal plant species were identified, including endangered and endemic species. The taxonomic structure of the families of medicinal plants on Konjuh Mountain revealed the presence of 43 families, with the most represented being representatives of the Lamiaceae family at 13.76%, Asteraceae at 11.92%, Fabaceae at 7.33%, and Plantaginaceae at 5.50%. A phytogeographical analysis of the medicinal plant flora identified 11 areal types and groups. An analysis of the biological spectrum of flora in all habitats indicates the presence of six primary life form types, with hemicryptophytes (H) being dominant, accounting for 59 species.