o:8780 Ethnobotanical insights into the use of the plants from genus Thymus in the Niš District of southeastern Serbia Етноботанички увиди у употребу врста рода Thymus у Нишавском округу југоисточне Србије en sr Abstract: The plant species from the genus Thymus commonly known as wild thymes are considered of the important medicinal plants in traditional phytotherapy in southeastern Serbia, which is why they were chosen as the subject of this research. The aim of the study was to examine the methods of use, cultural significance, and the preservation of traditional knowledge about wild thyme in the Niš District. The research was conducted through an online questionnaire, with data collected from adult residents of various generations. The results show that wild thymes are most commonly used in the form of tea, primarily for calming purposes, especially against anxiety and nervousness (38.5%), insomnia (15.5%), and as support in treating colds and respiratory ailments (61.5%). Most respondents emphasized that the use of these plants is deeply rooted in households and is primarily based on oral transmission of knowledge from "generation to generation". This study highlights the importance of nurturing the traditional use of medicinal plants in urban settings, pointing to the potential for implementing ethnobotanical knowledge into modern approaches to health preservation and the protection of the region’s biocultural heritage. Keywords: wild thyme, Thymus, ethnobotany, Niš District, survey 1552100 978-86-903786-2-3 2025-12-21T22:02:47.196Z 44 yes 46 Radomir B. Ljupković 46 Slobodan A. Ćirić 46 Jovana D. Ickovski 46 Katarina D. Stepić 46 Aleksandra S. Đorđević 46 Marija S. Marković 0000-0002-6070-6844 46 Vesna P. Stankov Jovanović application/pdf 3964050 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:8780 no yes 16 70 92000004 71A07 Ethnobotany : book of abstracts / Third conference about medicinal and wild-growing edible plants, Pirot, Serbia, June 26 - 28. 2025. 107 109 Истраживачко друштво "Бабин нос", Темска, Пирот, Институт за шумарство, Београд, Штампарија "Свен", Ниш 2025