Traditional medicinal uses and ethnobotanical analysis of Euphorbiaceae Juss. species distributed in Azerbaijan

This study provides the first integrated ethnobotanical assessment of traditionally used Euphorbiaceae Juss. species distributed in Azerbaijan, with a focus on their relevance to management of non‑crop interfaces. A total of 89 structured village questionnaires collected between 2020 and 2025 yielded 64 distinct use‑reports (URs) involving plants referred to locally as “süddüyən,” a vernacular term applied to various Euphorbia taxa. Respondents were predominantly older adults, reflecting strong retention of intergenerational knowledge. Analysis of URs revealed that leaves and stems constitute the most frequently harvested organs, complemented by reports of fruits, roots, underground structures, seeds, and latex. Collection localities were concentrated along roadsides/rights‑of‑way and riparian corridors—disturbance‑prone habitats that also present management priorities within IPSM’s scope. Reported indications clustered primarily in dermatological, gastrointestinal, and neurological/soothing categories, with secondary references to respiratory and cardiovascular uses. The study documents real‑world interactions between communities and Euphorbiaceae species in ecotones where utility, accessibility, and disturbance dynamics intersect. The findings provide management‑relevant insights, including the need for targeted latex‑handling safety guidance, selective retention versus removal in high‑value community sites, and habitat‑specific monitoring priorities. To support quantitative ethnobotanical metrics, a vernacular‑to‑species mapping workflow aligned with World Flora Online is established, enabling future computation of Use Value (UV) and Informant Consensus Factor (ICF) with informant‑level resampling. This work strengthens evidence‑based stewardship of disturbance‑tolerant Euphorbiaceae in non‑crop landscapes while safeguarding local medicinal knowledge.