Endemic Plants Used In Meals

30 % of the agricultural plants, having a key role in nourishment of human beings are based from Anatolia (For example: cherry, almond, apricot, wheat, chickpea, lentil, fig, tulip, snowdrop and crocus). Some endemic plants of our country includes culture plants, and some wild herbs which are not culture plants can also be used as meal material together with culture plants. These plants have importance in connection with richness of Turkish kitchen and being unrivalled.

Orchid: There are endemic orchid types in our country. Sahlep can be made from these, and also added to ice - creams in city of K. Maraş. Sahlep made up of orchids at the source of being famous of Maraş Ice - Cream, has an important role. As a matter of fact, endemically Cephalanthera kotschyana, Dactylorhiza Osmanica orchids are cultivated in this city. Almond: There are endemic almond trees in our country, and these are cultivated in Elazığ, Hakkari, Mersin, Maraş and Van.

Garden Cress: There are some endemic types of garden cress used in the salads, these species are the endemic plants from cities Adana, Bitlis, Hakkari, Kastamonu, Konya, Maraş, Niğde and Van of our country. Asparagus: It is known that an important nutrition material, asparagus vegetable is endemic in 3 of our cities. Species of it are Asparagus Lycicus in Antalya, Asparagus Coodei in Konya and Mersin, and again in Konya with the name in antic period Asparagus Lycaonicus.

Beet: There are two beet vegetation endemic to our country, and their names are related with their correspondent regions. Their names are Beta Adanensis in Adana and Beta Trojana in Çanakkale.

Cherry: Our country also have endemic plants in connection with cherry types. For example, Cerasus Incana in Amasya, Erzurum, Kayseri, Niğde and Tokat cities, Cerasus Erzincanica in Erzincan, and Cerasus Hippophaeoides in Sivas species are composing the endemic cherries of our country. Chickpea: Cicer Isauricum in Antalya and Cicer Reticulatum in Mardin are endemic chickpeas of our country.

Linen: Our country is very rich in connection with endemic species of linen plant, used in flax and cooking sector. Several endemic species of this plant can be faced in various cities of our country. For example, Linum Pseudanatolicum in Adana, Linum ... Anatolicum in Amasya (4 pieces endemic), in Ankara (3 pcs.), Linum Pamphlyicum in Antalya (3 pcs.), in Denizli (3 pcs.) samples can be given.

Thyme: Our country is also rich in connection with endemic thyme species. For example; Origanum Amanum in Adana, Origanum Sipyleum in Afyon, Origanum Munzurensis in Tunceli can be mentioned. Polygonum (Madımak): It is seen that rich endemic species of polygonum plant, mentioned even in folk songs and an important foodstuff for rural region natives, are present in our country. For example; Polygonum Afyonicum in Afyon, P. Salebrosum in Antalya, Polygonum Cappadocicum in Kayseri, P. Karacae in Muğla, Polygonum Samsunicum in Samsun, Polygonum Sivasicum in Sivas can be given as samples.

Pear: It can be seen that our country is rich in connection with endemic pear species. For example; Pyrus Boisseriana ... Crenulata in Antalya, Pyrus Yaltirikii in Bingöl, Pyrus Syriaca in Bitlis, Diyarbakır, Samsun and Elazığ, Pyrus Hakkairica and P. Solicifolia in Hakkari (Hakkari is the richest city of our country with 3 pcs. of pear species), Pyrus Anatolica in Uşak samples can be given.

Rye: There is only one endemic rye plant in our country (Secale Cereale ... Ancestrale). This plant is naturally cultivated in cities of Ağrı, Bingöl, Gümüşhane, Kars, Kayseri, Mardin, Muş, Nevşehir, Tunceli and Van. Cummin: Rich endemic species of cummin is present in Anatolia. For example; Trigonella Cretica in Ankara, Bilecik, Muğla and Urfa, Trigonella Lycica in Antalya, Trigonella Cilicica in Mersin, T. Sirjaevii in Muğla and Bursa can be shown as samples.
Sorb: The only endemic sorb species of Türkiye are present in city of Rize: There are Sorbus Caucasica and yaltirikii. But this sorb specie should be protected and it is under vanish danger.

Sage: Our country is rich in connection with endemic sage species. There are more than one endemic sage species in various cities of our country. For example; Salvia Cilicica in Adana, Salvia Pisidica in Afyon, Salvia Smyrnaea in Aydın and İzmir, Salvia ... Euphratica in Malatya, Salvia Yosgadensis in Yozgat are interesting named sages.

Saffron: Saffron plant, whose name in literature is crocus is cultivated in Safranbolu. Saffron is used in a regional meal, Zerde Desert and in pilafs. Safranbolu and environment is also rich in connection with endemic Crocus species (Crocus Ancyrensis, Crocus Biflorus, Crocus Danfordae, Crocus Abantensis, Crocus Pastolazzae).

Radish: It is an endemic plant, which belongs to icotia carnosula named radish family, and cultivated in Antalya and Muğla, and natives are eating this plant as fresh or cooked.