An ethnobotanical survey on plants growing in Artuklu (Mardin) region

In this study, an ethnobotanical research was carried out in order to determine the plants which have a natural distribution in the region of Artuklu (Mardin) and which have a place in the traditional life of the people. For this purpose, between February 2018-July 2019, a total of 68 neighborhoods located in and around Artuklu district center were visited. During the research, 365 resource people were interviewed and a total of 350 high school and university students were surveyed. Ethnobotanical data about plants were collected through surveys. As part of the field studies carried out in the area, 426 plant specimens that were most widely distributed were collected and approximately 4,000 photographs were taken. As a result of ethnobotanical studies conducted in the region; It was determined that 255 plant taxa belonging to 51 families and 151 genus were used by the local people. The collected plant samples were rendered herbarium materials according to scientific rules. Family with the highest taxa respectively; Asteraceae 34 (14%), Fabaceae 31 (12%), Lamiaceae 24 (9%), Brassicaceae 17 (7%), Rosaceae 13 (5%), Boraginaceae 11 (4%) and Caryophyllaceae 10 (4%). Among them medicinal plant (161 taxa), food (153 taxa), animal feed (20 taxa), believed to be harmful (12 taxa), spice (10 taxa), visited by insects and bees (9 taxa), in animal diseases (8 taxon), game purpose (7 taxa), amulet making (3 taxa), fuel (3 taxa), for different purposes (toothpick, coal making, etc.) (3 taxa), tool and basket making (3 taxa), vacuum cleaner (2 taxa), as belief (2 taxa), ornaments (1 taxa), fermentation (1 taxa), storage of goods (1 taxa), tea (1 taxa), insect repeller (1 taxon) and in obtaining paint (1 taxa). Ethnobotanical data of 177 plant taxa were recorded for the first time in Mardin. In this study, 506 Kurdish, 197 Arabic and 86 Syriac plant names were determined in the region. Local names of 63 of these taxa were recorded for the first time in Mardin. This research is important in terms of being a comprehensive study on ethnobotany in Mardin and Southeastern Anatolia.