Medicinal and wild food plants of Marmara Island (Balikesir – Turkey)

Abstract

Medicinal and wild food plants have always played an important role in people's lives especially in rural areas. Similar situation can be said for islands due to the reason of them being isolated from mainland. This paper reports an ethnobotanical investigations performed in 2009 and 2014 to determine medicinal and wild food plants of Marmara Island. A total of 30 individuals were interviewed (19 men, 11 women). Totally, 22 plants are recorded as used as traditional folk medicine for the region, and nine of these are also used as a source of wild food. Furthermore, 18 taxa are wild sources of nutrition for the area. The plants most commonly used in the region as medicinal remedies were Salvia fruticosa, Hypericum perforatum, Ficus carica, and Mentha spicata. Plants are mostly used for the treatment of abdominal pain, the common cold, and haemorrhoids. The species most commonly used for food are: Salvia fruticosa, Arbutus unedo, Rhus coriaria, and Rubus sanctus. This ethnobotanical study conducted in this island will enable the traditional use of wild plants both as food sources and herbal remedies to be passed on to future generations.

Traditional Knowledge of Wild Edible Plants of Biga (Çanakkale), Turkey

“…A comparison of this study with previous edible plant studies (Ahıskalı et al, 2012;Alpınar, 1999;Altundağ Çakır, 2017;Arı et al, Arı et al (2015); Bulut, 2016;Dogan, 2012;Dogan et al, 2004Dogan et al, , 2013Dogan et al, , 2015Dogan et al, , 2017Duran et al, 2001;Ecevit Genç & Özhatay, 2004Ertuğ, 2004;Ertuğ et al, 2004;Esiyok et al, 2004;Gönüz et al, 2008;Kargıoğlu et al, 2008;Kızılarslan & Özhatay, 2012a;Koçyiğit & Özhatay, 2009;Polat & Satil, 2010;Satıl et al, 2006Satıl et al, , 2008Selvi et al, 2013;Tan et al, 2017;Uysal et al, 2010) and other ethnobotanical studies (Bulut & Tuzlacı, 2009;Cakilcioglu et al, 2011;Emre Bulut & Tuzlacı, 2006;Fujita et al, 1995;Han & Bulut, 2015;Honda et al, 1996;Kızılarslan & Özhatay, 2012b;Koçyiğit & Özhatay, 2006;Polat & Satil, 2012;Sezik et al, 1991Sezik et al, , 1997Sezik et al, , 2001Tuzlacı & Aymaz, 2001;Tuzlacı & Emre, Bulut 2007;Uysal et al, 2008Uysal et al, , 2010…”

“…Some of the species identified in our study area, according to other studies, are used for purposes other than food, such as medicinal (M), animal fodder (FD), dye (D), and ornamental (O) uses, demonstrating the ethnobotanical importance of these plants in Turkey. Malva sylvestris, P. rhoeas, R. canina, and R. acetosella (species which we showed are used as food in Biga) are also recorded as food plants in 25 of the studies that we used for comparative purposes (Ahıskalı et al, 2012;Alpınar, 1999;Altundağ Çakır, 2017;Arı et al, 2015;Bulut, 2016;Dogan, 2012;Dogan et al, 2004, 2017Duran et al, 2001Ecevit Genç & Özhatay, 2006;Emre Bulut & Tuzlacı, 2006;Ertuğ, 2004;Ertuğ et al, 2004;Kargıoğlu et al, 2008;Kızılarslan & Özhatay, 2012a;Koçyiğit & Özhatay, 2009; Polat & Satil, 2010, 2012Satıl et al, 2006Satıl et al, , 2008Selvi et al, 2013;Tan et al, 2017;Uysal et al, 2008Uysal et al, , 2010Yücel & Tülükoğlu, 2000). In Biga and its vicinity, the use of these wild species is quite common.…”

“…This species is usually used as a spice in our country (Alpınar, 1999;Ertuğ et al, 2004;Koçyiğit & Özhatay, 2009;Satıl et al, 2006), and this is also true of the study area. Asparagus acutifolius is consumed only as a fresh snack in the study area but is usually eaten cooked or roasted in Turkey (Bulut, 2016;Dogan, 2012;Polat & Satil, 2010).…”

“…A study conducted in the Aegean Region showed that as well as being a source of food and nutrients, wild edible plants also have the potential to provide an important source of income for local communities, especially if they are well managed (Tan et al, 2017). Several recent studies have described the status of our current knowledge of the use of wild edible plants in Turkey (Ahıskalı et al, 2012;Alpınar, 1999;Altundağ Çakır, 2017;Arı et al, 2015;Bulut, 2016;Dogan, 2012;Dogan et al, 2004Dogan et al, , 2013Dogan et al, , 2015Duran et al, 2001; Ecevit Genç & Özhatay, 2004Genç & Özhatay, , 2006Ertuğ, 2004;Ertuğ et al, 2004;Esiyok et al, 2004;Gönüz et al, 2008;Kargıoğlu et al, 2008;Kızılarslan & Özhatay, 2012a;Koçyiğit & Özhatay, 2009;Polat & Satil, 2010;Satıl et al, 2006Satıl et al, , 2008Selvi et al, 2013;Tan et al, 2017;Uysal et al, 2010), but none of these studies have included Biga. Therefore, the goal of this study was to record the wild edible plants used as food, spice, and tea in Biga/Çanakkale to address this gap in our knowledge.…”

An ethnobotanical study in Midyat (Turkey), a city on the silk road where cultures meet

“…A-113 Rubiaceae Zelliko (A-K) Fruit Fresh fruit used Toys 0.04 Diuretic, laxative, emmenagogue, abortive [ 64 ] Rubus sanctus Schreb. A-68 Rosaceae Trureşk (A-K) Root Fresh eaten Food 0.02 Eaten fresh, kidney stone, urinary infection, diabetes, stomachache, eczema [ 64 , 107 – 109 ] Salvia multicaulis Vahl. A-142 Lamiaceae Baravine (K), ikoro (S) Aerial part Infusion, applied on wounds Fodder, wound healing, flu and cough cure, labor pain, anti-inflammatory, antidote 0.14 Inflammatory, analgesic, treatment of stomach disturbances, herbal tea [ 16 , 38 , 54 , 64 ] Salvia syriaca L. A-148 Lamiaceae Sımsım (A) Fruit Dried Spice 0.05 Cough, digestive, flu [ 22 , 100 ] Scabiosa argentea L. A-213 Caprifoliaceae Maknese safra (A) Aerial part Cut and combined Broom 0.08 Broom, diuretic, wound healing [ 15 , 45 , 54 , 76 , 110 ] Scandix stellata Banks & Sol.…”