o:8883 Beech forests of Kosmaj as a natural resource of medicinal plants Bukove šume Kosmaja kao prirodni resurs lekovitih biljaka en Abstract: This paper presents the results of research on wild-growing medicinal plants in the beech forests of the protected area of Kosmaj. Beech forests in this region are widely distributed and occur either as pure stands (Helleboro odori–Fagetum moesiacae Soo & Borhidi 1960) or as mixed stands with sessile oak (Querco petraeae Fagetum moesiacae Glišić 1971). The floristic composition of these forests was analyzed using 22 phytosociological relevés. Out of a total of 100 recorded plant taxa, 60 medicinal species belonging to 50 genera and 36 families were identified. The taxonomic analysis showed that the most represented medicinal plants belong to the families Rosaceae (15%) and Lamiaceae (13%), followed by Fagaceae (7%) and Liliaceae (5%). Species of the Central European distribution type were the most common (36%), while the analysis of life forms indicated a predominance of phanerophytes (48.4%) and hemicryptophytes (23.3%), with a notable share of geophytes (18%). Keywords: beech forests, medicinal plants, taxonomic analysis, phytogeographical analysis, biological spectrum. 1552101 1821-1046 1552099 10.5937/SustFor2592001S 2025-12-30T08:58:22.578Z 44 yes 46 Snežana Stajić 0000-0001-9023-3542 46 Vlado Čokeša 0000-0003-1940-2598 46 Violeta Babić 0000-0001-6848-8442 46 Suzana Mitrović 0000-0003-1855-4418 46 Marija Milosavljević 0000-0002-0208-5402 46 Saša Eremija 0000-0002-7365-721X 46 Jelena Božović 0000-0002-9304-0970 application/pdf 644352 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:8883 no yes 16 70 92000001 71A07 Sustainable Forestry 92 1 10 Belgrade Institute of forestry 2025