Mapping ethnobotanical research in Morocco (1997-2025): Scientific production, scientometric insights and emerging trends

Abstract

Background:  Ethnobotanical research is a keystone of experimental studies and plays a pivotal role in traditional practices of several civilizations worldwide. It is a multidisciplinary field which consists various traditional botanical knowledge of various ethnic groups.

Methods:  To gather available data on Moroccan ethnobotanical studies, a bibliometric analysis was conducted using the Scopus database as the largest database. The extracted data was analyzed using VOSviewer software to determine the research outputs, trends, gaps and future directions of research in this area.

Results: The obtained results revealed the ethnobotany study in Morocco began in 1997 and has growing continuously during the last decade. The highest number of publications was registered in 2022 with 22 documents. Zidane L is the most influential author with 20 publications with considerable relationships and citation impact (1582 citations). Morocco holds the highest number of publications, with strong international collaborations, especially with Italy (Link strength :52) followed by Spain and Egypt. The high frequency of keywords, such as ‘’medicinal plants’’, ‘’ethnobotany’’, and ‘’traditional medicine’’ during the last decades suggests their emergence as key themes in the evolving research field.

Conclusions: Ethnobotany research and applications have become a prominent publication in ethnobotanical surveys in Morocco, revealing considerable growth and remaining a key data source. Results from the current study provide prospects for documenting traditional knowledge and advancing sustainable development in Morocco, and they can guide future research avenues, multiple collaborations and direct policy decisions for preserving traditional heritage.

Keywords: Ethnobotanical research, Morocco, research trends, bibliometric analysis, scientometrics