Traditional Uses of Some Food Plants in Suruç (Şanlıurfa, Turkey)

Abstract

This research was carried out throughout a period of approximately two years between 2019-2020 and aimed to identify wild food plants frequently used by people living in Suruç district (Şanlıurfa) and some of its surrounding villages. 64 taxa belonging to 27 families were identified through these interviews that we conducted with 44 people. The demographic information of the interviewees, both the local and scientific names of the plants they use for food purposes, the parts of the plants used and the methods of preparing the plants were recorded. The plants used by the habitants of the region were scientifically diagnosed at Harran University herbarium and were recorded as herbarium material. The families of the plant taxa, their scientific and local names, their patterns of use and use value (UV) of the plants were calculated and presented in a table. The families with the widest taxa discovered in our research throughout the region are Asteraceae with 10 taxa (16%), Lamiaceae with 10 taxa (16%), Malvaceae with 5 taxa (8%), Brassicaceae with 4 taxa (6%), Fabaceae with 4 taxa (6%), Apiaceae with 3 taxa (5%) and Rosaceae with 3 taxa (5%); while genus discovered to have the widest taxa are Mentha L. with 3 taxa, Crocus L., Euphorbia L., Malva L., Papaver L., Salvia L. with 2 taxa. Food plants are usually consumed as food after their stems are peeled, their leaves are used to make salads; they are cooked by adding tomato paste, rice or egg, used as a spice and brewed like tea. Most common plant parts used for food purposes are above ground, leaf, stem, root and fruit. Some cultivated and natural plants in Suruç district are used for food purposes. Our literature review has revealed that the food plants used in Suruç district are also used both for food and medicinal purposes in different regions of our country.