BFN Priority species of TURKEY

AEGEAN REGION

Wild plants, land race and wild mushroom studied in Aegean Region of Turkey

Family Botanical name English

name

Photograph Turkish name Local Names Description Habitat Parts used The way to consume

Amaranthaceae Beta maritima L. Sea beet

Kıyı pancarı Deli pazı, yabani pancar, yaban pazısı,

ova mancarı, pezik,

deniz pancarı, dağ pancarı, kır pazısı,

zık, yaban pancarı,

kara mancar, kara pancar, deli ıspanak,

yaban ıspanağı,

düdüklü ıspanak

Sea beets are glabrous or slightly hairy, erect, prostrate

or procumbent perennial

herbaceous plants with a number of stems. It flowers

from May to August.

Coastal areas, field borders,

in sandy soil.

The inland forms are

found at steps

in well drained sandy soils

Rosette leave Its leaves are served raw or cooked and used in

pies and pancakes,

omelets, soups, stuffed for dolma, roasted or boiled

and used as salad, served

with or without yogurt. Sea beets are also cooked

as spinach.

Amaranthaceae Salicornia emericii Duval-Jouve,

Lectotype:Salicornia europaea L.

Glasswort or

Samphire

Deniz börülcesi Kurşun otu, tuzlu ot,

geren otu

Glasswort is perennial, erect

fleshy maritime plant with

fleshy stems and simple leaves. It has small spikes of

minute flowers. It flowers

from July to September

Coastal salt

marshes.

Young plants Glasswort is usually

cooked or steamed and

then coated in olive oil and lemon or yogurt as

salad. It is also used raw.

Apiaceae Crithmum maritimum L. Rock samphire

Deniz teresi, Kaya koruğu

Deniz rezenesi,deniz marulu, deniz otu,

ada börülcesi, deniz

koruğu, deniz keneviri, kereviz otu,

genevir, girdama,

gövelek, kulak otu, kişgil

Rock samphire is erect to decumbent hairless perennial,

to 50 cm high. Leaves are

entire, 1-2-pinnate with linear, succulent, cylindrical lobes

and aromatic when crushed.

Flowers are yellowish green.

Maritime rocks and boulder

beaches.

Young plants leaves and

flower buds

The stems, flowers and leaves are pickled. Leaves

are used fresh or boiled in

salads. It is also cooked omelet

Stew, pickle, salad,

omelet

Apiaceae Foeniculum vulgare Mill. Fennel

Arapsaçı Rezene, çaşır, çaşıra,

kokar ot, malatura, erezene, raziyane,

sıra, marata

Fennel is a perennial,

umbelliferous plant. It has thick, white rootstalk and

hollow, striated stems. Leaves

with anise smell, are feathery, deeply cut, alternate and triply

pinnate. Flowers are yellow,

produced in large terminal umbels. Fruits are cylindrical,

Arid cliffs,

slopes and riverbanks in

spring.

Whole plant Highly aromatic and

flavorful leaves are used in various foods and as

seasoning. Boiled leaves

are used in salad and roasted. Pilaf, omelet,

salad, pie, pancake, soup

are cooked.

smooth and greenish brown color. The plant flowers from

July to September.

Meal, roasted, pilaf, seasoning

Apiaceae Opopanax hispidus (Friv.) Gris. Yellow Herb

Kaymacık, Sarı ot, sarı bacı, kaymaklık, kaymak

otu, kırk sıralı, gaymecik, tülü ot,

kekire

Opoanax is a perennial herbaceous plant that can

grow up to 160 cm. It produces small clusters of

yellow flowers. Lower leaves

pinnate with lobes. It Flowers

in May-July.

Fields, stony places, salty

sediments, field edge.

Young basal leave

Young leaves from the base of stews are cooked

with tomato paste. Leaves

are also roasted with or without cream and milk. It

is boiled and roasted with

egg (Omelet) and served with or without yogurt.

Opopanax pancake is also

common..

meal, roasted, omelet

Apiaceae Smyrnium olusatrum L. Alexanders

Deli kereviz Yabani kereviz, baldıran

The plants are stout to 100-150 cm high, with a solid stem

which becomes hollow with

age. The leaves are bluntly toothed, the segments

ternately divided. The flowers

are yellow-green in color, and its fruits are black. They are

flowering March to May.

Road sides, in field and field

borders, on

cliff paths, seaside.

Leaves, young stems and the

buds

Alexanders is intermediate in flavor

between celery and

parsley. It is used roasted, stewed or fried and used

in salads, rice, omelet,

pie, sauce and soups. It was also used as a

medicinal herb

Asteraceae Glebionis coronaria (L.) Spach,

Syn: Chrysanthemum segetum L.

Crown Daisy

Alagömeç Ale gümeci, sarı

papatya, öküz gözü, koyun gözü, yabani

krizantem

Crown daisy is 15-70 cm tall a

leafy annual herb. It has yellow, cream, white ray

florets grouped in small flower

heads and aromatic, bipinnately lobed leaves.

Flowering time is from March

to June.

Sea sides, road

sides, in fields an field

borders.

Young sprouts Crown daisy is used in the

recipes of omelets, soup, bulgur and roasted salads

with or without yogurt

Asteraceae Cichorium intybus L. Chicory

Hindiba Hindibag, yabani

hindiba, kara hindiba, tatlı hindiba, ak

hindiba, günek,

güneyik, yatlı günek, ak günek, radika,

Chicory is hairy or glabrous a

perennial herbaceous plant with 20-100 cm height. It has

backward curved toothed

leaves at base. Stem leaves are similar but sessile. It has

Roadsides,

fields, orchards and

Whole young

plant/ rosette leaves, roots

The leaves are boiled or

used raw for salad. Leaves are simply roasted or

mixed with herbs or

roasted with or without scrambled eggs. It is

bahçe radikası, altlık, çatlangoz

bright blue flowers. Flowtime is from April to September.

cooked as soup, omelet and made the patties. Dry

leaves used as tea. Roots

are also baked and used as a coffee substitute

Meal, salad, omelet

Asteraceae Scolymus hispanicus L. Golden

thistle

Şevketi bostan Akkız, akçakızı, altın

dikeni, ak dikeni,

diken otu,çetmi dikeni, sarı diken,

sütlü diken, süt

dikeni, güzel hisar dikeni

It is an herbaceous biennial or

short-lived perennial plant

growing to 80 cm tall, with spiny stems and leaves. The

flowers are bright yellow to

orange-yellow. Flowering lasts from May to September.

Humid areas,

roadsides,

fallow lands.

Roots, young

leaves

Spiny leaves are stripped

and roots cleaned and

used to cook dishes with meat and roasting. The

roots and young leaves of

golden thistle also used in salads, soups, egg dishes.

Stew, salad, soup, omelet, meal

Brassicaceae Raphanus raphanistrum L. Wild Radish

Eşek turpu Turpotu, yaban turpu yabani turp, çalgıcı

otu, yabani hardal

Wild radish is an annual herb usually 15–50 cm high, simple

or branched, stems scabrous;

taproot wiry to stout but not fleshy. Lower leaves 15–20

cm long, lyrate-pinnatisect

with 1–4 pairs of distant lobes, scabrous. Flowers are usually

pale yellow, more rarely white

or with pinkish.. Plant flowers in May-September, bears

fruits in July-October.

. Fallow fields, orchards,

vineyards,

neglected gardens,

roadsides, and

other disturbed locations.

Young lives and buds

Wild radish is roasted or stewed and used in

various dishes as salad,

meals, omelet and soup

Polygonaceae Rumex acetosella L. Sorrel

Kuzukulağı Ekşi kuzukulağı, lutka, ekşi kulak,

eğşimene, ekşice,

ekşimik, ekşilik ekşimelek, ekşimek,

ekşimen, turşu otu,

ebem ekşisi,

ebenekşisi, oğlak

kulağı, küçük kuzukulağı

Sorrel is perennial herbaceous plants with erect stem and

sprouts from an aggressive

and spreading rhizome. It has glabrous green arrowhead-

shaped leaves and small, pink

and bright flowers. Sorrel

blossoms in May-August.

The fields, meadows and

pastures in the

abandoned areas, at the

waterfront and

in a humid

environment.

Leaf The leaves with a lemony,

tangy and nicely sour

flavor, are used raw or in the preparation of food.

Fresh leaves can be used

raw in salads. Sorrel is

also used to cook soup,

pie and cooked with egg.

Roasted, stuffed, pie,

soup, meal, salad

Fabaceae Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. Cowpea

Börülce Karnıkara,karagöz, sarıgöz, çakıldak,

acebek, papuda

Herbaceous annual with twining stems Leaves trifoliate

with petiole. Central leaflet

hastate, 2.5 to 12 cm long, smooth, lateral leaflets

irregular. Flowers in axillary

racemes on stalks 15 to 30 cm long. Pod pendulous, smooth,

10 to 23 cm long with a thick

decurved beak and 10- to 15-seeded. The kidney-shaped

seeds are white with a black

mark around the scar that

marks the point of attachment

to the seed stalk. Seeds of local races variable in size and

colour

Cowpea grows best in hot

conditions. and

in moderate shade, but in

agroforestry or

orchard applications. .

grain, fresh legumes

Salad, meal

Russulaceae Lactarius deliciosus (L.) Gray Saffron milk cap

Çıntar, Kanlıca, Elicek, ebişek, melki, merki, sütlü mantar,

çam mantarı, espir,

espit, tirmit

Saffron milk cap has a convex to vase shaped and carrot

orange color cap with darker

orange lines in the form of concentric circles. 4 to 14 cm

across. The cap is dry but

sticky and viscid when wet. It has crowded decurrent gills

and a hallow short orange

stipe (3 to 8 cm long and 1 to 2 cm thick). When fresh it

extracts orange-red milk.

When handled It stains a deep green color. August to

December

It grows under conifers on

acidic soils and

found in the high altitude

Pinus nigra

and Pinus brutia forests.

It forms a

mycorrhizal relationship

with its host

tree.

Cap and stem Fried, grilled, roasted, used in pie, cooked as

meatball, soup, omelet

Salted or pickled

MEDITERRANEAN REGION

Wild plants and land race studied in Mediterranean Region of Turkey

Family Botanical name English

name

Photograph Turkish name Local Names Description Habitat Parts used The way to consume

Acoraceae Acorus calamus L. Calamus or Sweet flag

Eğir otu Azakeriği, Hazanbel, Eğir kökü

a semi-aquatic plant that likes to grow with “wet feet”, often

alongside Irises, Cattails, and

other waterweeds. This is usually due to seasonal water

fluctuations. less rain, and it's

no longer in the water because

the edge of the pond has

receded. The leaves are similar

to Cattail or Iris leaves, being sword shaped, and from 2 1/2

to 3 feet in length. Calamus

leaves, though, are a yellow-green in color, not blue-green,

and have a slightly wavy

margin (edge) and a midrib.

It likes the edges of

ponds, lakes,

and rivers, but I've seen it

growing in

drier soil as

well.

The root (rhizome) is

used as

medicine, as foods as a

spice.

Chewing rhizome. A flavor for pipe tobacco

Anacardiaceae Rhus coriaria L. Elm leaved

sumach

Sumak Ekşi külü, somak

ekşi, Derici sumağı,

Mavru, Tadım, Tahru, Tatari, Tahri,

Tetere, Teteni, Tetirli,

Tetre, Tertri, Tirimli, Tutum, Tutuba

Plant is shrub up to 3 m tall.

Young branches are densely

brownish tomentose. Leaves with 9-15 broadly lanceolate

to eliptic, serrate leaflets.

Petals greenish white, drupe globose, villose, reddish. It is

flowering in june and july. It

can be found in scrubs and forests.

It can be found

in scrubs and

forests. Rocky places and

roadsides

mainly on limestone

Fruit; Oil. The crushed fruit is a

popular spice used in the

Middle East.

Apiaceae Ferula elaeochytris Korovin Ferula or

giant fennel

Çağ Çakşır, çağşır, çavşır,

hitik

They are herbaceous perennial

plants growing to 1–4 m tall,

with stout, hollow, somewhat succulent stems. The leaves

are tripinnate or even more

finely divided, with a stout basal sheath clasping the stem.

The flowers are usually

yellow, rarely white, produced in large umbels.

native to the

Mediterranean

region east to central Asia,

mostly

growing in arid climates.

The root

(rhizome) is

used to make medicine.

Drink boiled root

Apiaceae Ferulago trachycarpa Boiss. -

Kuzukemirdi Kuzu kişnişi, Kurtkulağı, Kuzubaşı,

Kuzukemirdi,

Kuzukulağı, Kimyon otu, çakşırotu, cağşır,

asaotu

It is a tall glaucescent perennial with angled, sulcate

stem up to 125 cm. leaves are

25-40 cm long and 10-15 cm width. Flowering between

june and august.

Rocky slopes. Aerial parts and roots.

Gums obtained from the incision of the roots.

Fresh aerial parts.

Asteraceae Cichorium intybus L. Common

chicory

Hindiba Hindiba, yabani

hindiba, mavi hindiba, citlik

When flowering, chicory has a

tough, grooved, and more or less hairy stem, from 30 to 100

centimetres (10 to 40 in) tall.

The leaves are

stalked, lanceolate and

unlobed. The flower heads are

2 to 4 centimetres (0.79 to 1.6 in) wide, and usually

bright blue, rarely white or

pink. It flowers from July until October.

It lives as a

wild plant on roadsides. The

wildflower

grows in fields,

waysides and

on waste

ground.

Leaves, roots Roasted,salads and roots

are dried for adding coffee

Asteraceae Chondrilla juncea L. Rush

skeletonwee

d

Karakavuk Çıtlık, Çöpkanak,

Karakavuk,

Karakavut, Sakız otu, Sütlü ot

It is a thin, spindly plant which

reaches a meter in height. It

starts from a basal rosette of leaves and branches

extensively, often forming a

weedy thicket. It produces small daisylike flowers with

rectangular yellow ray florets.

The fruit is an achene about a centimeter long topped with a

white pappus.

It lives in

rocky terrain,

sandy fields, fallowing

fields

Leaves Salads

Asteraceae Scorzonera cana (C.A.Mey.) Griseb

Salsify

Tekesakalı Yakı Otu, Yemlik, Dedesakalı,

Karakök, Tekesakalı

It is grown as an annula or biennial, mainly for the long,

tapering black skinned, white-

fleshed taproot.

It grows well in a loose,

sandy loam

soil, deeply cultivated to

allow the long,

tapering roots to develop.

Leaves Cooking, salads

Asteraceae Tragopogon porrifolius subsp.

longirostris (Sch.Bip.) Greuter

Purple

salsify

Helevan Teke sakalı Annual or biennial herb with a

white, branched, irregularly

cylindrical tap-root. Stems 20-125 cm, glaucous, some areas

very pale, sometimes suffused

brownish-purple, hollow, erect, striate, glabrous, with

long branches in upper half,

very leafy.

It lives in

herbaceous

places and along rhe

roads.

Roots, leaves Freshly or cooked

Asteraceae Gundelia tournefortii L. Gundelia

Kenger Kenger otu, Plant is 20-100 cm high, stems erect, branched, often shining.

Leaves are lanceolate, rigid,

glabrous or arachnoid. Lower leaves7-30 cm long.

Flowering in may and july.

It can be found in rocky

slopes, stepe,

near salt lakes, open woodland

and fallow

fields.

The leaves, stems, roots,

and

undeveloped flower buds,

colloquially

known as tumble thistle,

are edible

when they first sprout in early

spring

fresh or cooked artichoke-like vegetable

Berberidaceae

Berberis crataegina DC. Berberis

Karamuk Amberbaris, Diken

üzümü, Ekşimen (Kayseri), Garamık,

Gıraba

Gırabuh, Gızanbah,

Hatuntuzluğu, Kadı

ntuzluğu, Kamberiz, Karaca

Karamıh, Karamık,

Karamuk dikeni, Karanbuk,

Kızambuk, Kızamık,

Sarı çalı

Perennial that can grow to a

height of 2 meters, very

prickly, red berry fruit is a

plant that boy grows. Open May-yellow flower clusters in

June. The leaves are 2-4

centimeters in length and elliptical. After pouring leaves

in autumn, as red clusters

located within 2 to 3 pieces of fruit seeds are seen.

It grows up to

1900 meters

above on the

forest clearance and

limestone

terrain. Develops well

in sunny and

semi-shade environment.

Just can grow

in almost any soil.

Fruits/seeds Fruit can be consumed

raw or in some meals and

soups Vitamin C rich fruit

can be consumed as tea, garnish compote, syrup,

jams and jellies.

Brassicaceae Nasturtium officinale R.Br.,

Aiton

Watercress

Suteresi Acı

gerdeme, Cırcır, Ç

akandura , Çünk, Derdime, Gerdeme,

Hardal otu, Istapan,

Ispatan, İspatan, İstapan, İstepan, Kord

omot , Kerdeme,

Kurbağapisliği, Su gerdemesi, Su

kerdemesi, Su

mancası, Tizik, Tuzik, Yabani

tere, Gudime.

Nasturtium officinale is a

perennial and creeping plant.

It’s growing to 0.5 m by 1 m at a fast rate. It has 8-10 cm

long and a width of leaves.

There are four-leaf white flowers. Watercress is pungent

and spicy plants. It flowers

from March to July

Suitable for:

light (sandy),

medium (loamy) and

heavy (clay)

soils. Suitable pH: acid,

neutral and

basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot

grow in the

shade. It prefers wet soil

and can grow

in water.

Leaves Watercress consumed as

raw or cooked. It’ s

known peppery, sharp, piquant flavor Water cress

is mainly used as a

garnish or as an addition to salads, the flavour is

strong with a

characteristic hotness.

Capparaceae Capparis spinosa L. Caper bush

Kebere Gebre, kebere, kapari Caper bush is a perennial deciduous bush plant with 1-

3m height. It bears rounded,

fleshy leaves and large white to pinkish-white flowers with

four petals and at the middle

purple stamens. C. spinosa is native to the Mediterranean

Region but also found in other

regions of Turkey except Black Sea coast. Caper bush

occur over a wide range of

habitat up to 100 m.

elevation.. It is flowered in

July and bear fruits in August-September.

Mainly at west place, road

sides and even

near by the walls

Fruits/seeds Pickled or canned form is consumed. Canned capers

is eaten as pickles, salads,

pizza base and besides the meat and fish as a garnish.

Caryophyllaceae Gypsophila arrostii subsp.

nebulosa (Boiss. & Heldr.)

Greuter & Burdet

Arrost's

baby's-

breath

Çöven Çöven Otu - Sabun

Otu - Çegen - Tarlacı

Çöveni, Kereviç Köpüğü, çuvan

Plant is glabrous perennial

with stout rhizome. Stems 30-

60 cm long, diffusely branched. Leaves linear to

linear-lanceolate, 10-50 mm

long and 1-6 mm width. Flowers are pale pink to white

and it has flowers in june and

july.

It can be found

in dry stony

places and wineyards.

Root

(rhizome)

Its rhizome extracts for

whitinig and bubbling.

Cupressaceae Juniperus drupacea Labill. Syrian

juniper

Enek/andız Büyük meyveli ardıç It is small, dioecious,

evergreen tree, with a broad

crown. The leaves are lanceolate, acuminate. Female

flowers form a hard, fleshy

fruit, ripening 1-3 years. Cones are 20-25 mm diameter,

brown to black and pruinose.

Growing on

rocky sites

from 800–1700 m altitude.

Fruit Molasses

Dioscoreaceae Dioscorea communis (L.)

Caddick & Wilkin

Black

bryony

Dolambaç Sarmaşık, tilkişen,

dövülmüş avrat otu, gavur tilkişeni and

kara asma

Tubers subterranean, to 20cm

or more, blackish. Stems slender, to 4m, rarely

branched, longitudinally striate, glabrous, twining

sinistrally as seen from

outside. Leaves long-petiolate

or long-acuminate, dark gren,

glabrous. Flowers greenish-

yellow, glabrous. Flowering April-June.

Dense woods,

but it can also meadows and

hedges.

Young shoots Young shoots may be

eaten raw, but they are usually cooked in hot

water for various salads or used in omelette.

Fabaceae Lupinus albus L. White lupin

Termiye Acı bakla, Delice bakla, Gavur baklası,

Kurt baklası, Mısır

baklası, Yahudi baklası, Tirmis

Lupinus albus is a annual growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.3

m (1ft in). It is in flower from

Jun to July, and the seeds ripen from Aug to September.

The flowers are hermaphrodite

(have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by

Bees. It can fix Nitrogen.

Cultivated beds. Suitable

for: light

(sandy) and medium

(loamy) soils.

It cannot grow in the shade. It

prefers moist

soil.

Seed. Seed - cooked. Used as a protein-rich vegetable or

savoury dish in any of the

ways that cooked beans are used, they can also be

roasted or ground into a

powder and mixed with cereal flours in making

bread etc. The roasted

seeds can be used as a snack in much the same

way as peanuts. An edible

oil is obtained from the

seed. The roasted seed is

used as a coffee substitut

Liliaceae Eremurus spectabilis M.Bieb. Foxtail lily

Çiriş Çireş, Dağ pırasası, Gülük, Kiriş, Sarı

çiriş, Sarı

zambak, Yabani pırasa

Foxtail lily, has 1 m plant height with 70-200 cm

glabrous flower stem and is a

perennial herbaceous plant. Leaves broadly linear, 20-60

cm long, to about 5 cm broad,

glabrous. It grows at 1000-2750 m. Flowering in May-

July.

in steppe, open scrub,

limestone

rocks and screes

Young leaves Young leaves are used as vegetables. Young shoots

cooked. Roasted with

yogurt, meal, omelet

Rosaceae Eriolobus trilobatus (Labill. ex

Poir.) M.Roem.

Erect Crab

or Crab

apple

Atelması Geyikelması,

geyicek, geyik dikeni

Malus trilobata has an upright

habit with horizontal

branching and a mature size of 15 metres (49 ft) height by 7

metres (23 ft) width.

The leaves are maple-like and deeply three-lobed. They turn

from orange to red to deep

purple in the fall. The tree blooms during April

and May producing white

flowers and yellow fruits.

Mediterranean

maquis and

forest.

Fruit and

leaves

Fresh or boiled fruit. Its

dried leaves use for tea.

Rosaceae Pyrus serikensis Güner &

H.Duman

Serik crab

Zingit Serik armudu,

gurmut,

Barbed and can be sized up to

15 m. fruits are spherical and about 1cm a diameter. Leaves

egg-circle shape, the diameter

of 2-4 cm.

Hills in the

plains, in the cemetery, the

farm borders,

roads and coast

Fruit Fresh or boiled fruit.

Araceae Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott Taro

Gölevez Göleviz, kolakas, Kıbrıs patatesi

Taro is herbaceous perennial tropical plant with a large

corm, and grows in semi-

shade or sunny places where water is abundant. Taros

reproduce from the smaller

tubers or “cormels” which grow off the sides of the main

corm are grown for their

edible corms as root vegetables. Large heart shaped

leaves with long petiole

sprouts from tubers.

In Turkey, taro is locally

known as

“Gölevez” and mainly grown

in

Mediterranean coast, in the

Alanya and

Gazipaşa of Antalya and

Bozyazı and

Anamur of

Mersin..

The corms are eaten baked, boiled or steamed

BLACKSEA REGION

Wild plants and land race studied in BLACK Region of Turkey

Family Botanical name English

name

Photograph Turkish name Local Names Description Habitat Parts used The way to consume

Amaranthaceae Chenopodium album L. Lamb's quarters,

melde

Aksirken Sirken, kelebek, iblice, yaban otu,

unluca, ak kaz ayağı,

ak pazı, yabani ıspanak

It is an ascending annual plant with 20-150 cm tall and has

angular stem. The leaves are

whitely green and have alternate rhomboid or

lanceolate with entire or

toothed edge. Lower leaves

are more round and broader

than upper leaves and with a

whitish coat on the underside. The flowers inflorescence is

dense branched.

It is found in fields, orchards

and pastures

Leaves and young shoots

It is used in salads in raw form and it is roasted with

or without yoghurt, it is

cooked with bulgur or rice, it is completed with

mixed weed and it is also

baked as fritter and

pancake

Apiaceae Aegopodium podagraria L. Ground elder

Keçiayağı Mendek, tavuk ayağı, kır marulu

It is a perennial, erect plant with rhizome. The stem is

hallow and grooved. Upper

leaves are ternate, broad and toothed. Small white flowers

are in umbels

It grows in coppice forests

and it grows up

to 750 m heights

Young leaves It can be roasted (with yogurt, onion or plain), it

is used in pastry, and it

can be cooked with yogurt, rice or bulgur.

Also eaten raw

Apiaceae Oenanthe pimpinelloides L. Corky-

fruited water-

dropwort

Deli maydanoz Kazıyak, Gazyak

It is a bushy perennial. It may

grow up to 1 meter. It is flowered from June to August.

Its petals have changing colors

from spotted and shiny white to red.

It grows in

swamps and lakes coasts up

to 1300 meters.

It is predominantly

distributed in

Black Sea and Aegean

Regions.

Leaves It is roasted with or

without egg, and also with leek and onion. It is used

in pastry. It is cooked

with yogurt and bulgur.

Asparagaceae Ornithogalum umbellatum L. Star of Bethlehem

Sunbala Sakarca, Sakarcık, Akyıldız, Çöplüce,

Karga Soğanı,

Tükrük otu

It is a perennial plant with bulbs below ground. Its leaves

are linear with a white stripe

on the upper surface The flowers group in a corymbose

raceme with 6–20 flowers, and

are white with a green stripe outside.

It flowers from May to June. It

grows in semi-

shadow woodland,

rural places,

wet meadows coppice forests

up to 1500

meters.

Leaves and bulbs

It is used in making bread, it is roasted as plain or

with egg; it is fried with

egg; it is cooked with cranberry molasses and it

is also cooked with rice.

Boraginaceae Trachystemon orientalis (L.) G.Don

Eastern borage

(oriental

borage)

Kaldirik Kaldırayak, Kaldırık, Kalduruk, Galdirik,

Galdirek, Ispıt,

Zılbıt, Hodan, Zıbıdık, deremancarı,

Burğı, Deve mancarı,

Tamara

Eastern borage has the hairy coarse-textured, heart-shaped

leaves and stems. Tiny blue

flowers of this plant emerge in early spring.

Eastern borage is a perennial

herb of the

family Boraginaceae.

Native to

Blacksea region and can

be found along

the northern coast of

Turkey at the

elevation of

50-1000 m. It

grows

extensively on shady

riverbanks and

in humid habitats.

Leaves, stams and flowers

Flowering braches and leafy stems of the plant

are consumed as

vegetable in the spring time in Black Sea Region.

It can be eaten in various

different ways such as a steamed salad with or

without yoghurt dressing

or roasted and also used in a bulgur dish or put into

pies. Moreover, Eastern

borage can be pickled and

its larger leaves can be

used for making stuffed

rolls.

Brassicaceae Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.)

Medik.

Shepherd'

purse

Çobançantası Medik, kuşekmeği,

lamzam

It is an annual herbaceous

plant which has an erect stem covered with stellate hairs. It

can grow up to 55 cm. Its stem

is smooth and it is branched at top. It is flowered from

January to November.

It may grow up

2000m elevation. It

grows in

cultivated fields or waste

lands.

Aerial part,

leaves

It can be eaten as raw and

it is used in salads, rice meals, rice soups; it can

be roasted with or without

yogurt after boiling and it can be cooked mixed with

curly dock. It is also used

in pastry or pancakes

Caryophyllaceae Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke

Bladder campion

Ecibücü Mendek, tavukayağı, kır marulu, şakşak,

gıvışgan

It is a perennial plant reaching to 60 cm with flowered stem 9

to 35 cm long and glabrous.

This plant is sensitive to frost. It is flowered from June to

August and its seeds ripen

from July to September.

It grows up to

3000 meters

height. It is

found in

bushes, slopes

and open

spaces.

Leaves It is cooked as plain roasting or roasting egg;

it is used in pastry, yogurt

meal, salting- meal, rice or bulgur meal and soups.

Polygonaceae Rumex crispus L Curly dock

Labada Kıvırcık labada,

labada otu, efelek,

evelik, eveleyük, ekşi

mancar, sığır kuyruğu

Curly duck is a perennial

flowering plant having stalks

up to 100-150 cm high with

shooting curled and wavy leaves from large basal

rosettes. The inflorescent has

dense flower clusters on branched stems the apex.

During the first year,

it forms a basal rosette and in the following year it shoots up

with strong stalks.

Curly duck

grows in a

wide variety of

habitats mostly at moist

ground

conditions. The plant

especially can

be found on riversides,

waste areas,

meadows, fields or in

shady parts of

gardens, and at

elevations up

to 1500-2500

m.

Leaves The boiled leaves of curly

duck can be roasted and

served with or without

yogurt or use it in bulgur dishes and pilaf or its

larger leaves are also

stuffed. The sun dried leaves are consumed in

the winter time.

Polygonaceae Polygonum cognatum Meissn. Knotgrass (knotweed)

Madımak İbi otu, kuşekmeği

It is a perennial. It grows up to 15-30 cm. It has ascending

branched stems and tuberous

roots. Stems are prostrate. It has rectangular ellipse leaf-

stalk. Flowers clusters is in the

leaf axils. Flower has pinkish color.

It grows 720-3000 meters

elevation. It

grows naturally in

road-sides,

slopes, cliffs and cultivated

fields.

Leaves It is cooked as plain and it is also cooked with

bulgur or it is used in

soups.

Smilacaceae Smilax excelsa L. Prickly ivy

Dikenucu Kırçan, çoban ekmeği, dikenözü,

müzmelek,

müzmüldek, itmük, özdikeni, öz, kırçıyık,

melevcan, melocan,

melvocan, boylu gıcır, saparna,

Anadolu saparnası, iz

dikeni, silcan, zimbilaçi, zimilaci,

zimilas

It is a perennial which has climbing and thorny stem and

greenish flower. It has heart-

shaped leaves and umbel plant. Its stem is woody and

lower-parts of the stem are

thorny.

It may grow up to 20

meters with its

climbing stems. This

plant grows in

roadsides, bushes and

forest edges in

the spring.

Young shoots The young shoots can be eaten raw or cooked. It is

cooked with tomato or

pepper paste as stew and it can be roasted with

eggs after boiling; it is

used as ingredient in pastries.

Poaceae Triticum monococcum L. Einkorn

wheat

Siyez Kaplıca, Kavulca,

Iza

Einkorn is one of the earliest

cultivated wheat and

considered as the ancestor of the modern wheat. It has been

domesticated for

approximately 10000 years BC. in Turkey. With its single

spikelet and thick husk,

einkorn wheat is a disease, pathogen and drought resistant

species.

Accordingly is

considered as a

significantly competitive

wheat cultivar

especially in arid and barren

environmental

conditions.

Einkorn wheat is used in

traditional bread making

or commonly is processed into bulgur in stone mills

and is used for dishes

such as sour pilaf, dry pilaf or pilaf with tomato

paste.