Flora, phytosociology and ethnobtanical features of başhemşi̇n (Çamlıhemşi̇n/Ri̇ze)

In this study, flora, phytosociology and ethnobotanical features of Başhemşin (Çamlıhemşin/Rize) and its environs were studied. 518 taxa, 36 of them are endemic, were identified included into 260 genera and 74 families. Of the identified taxa it was determined that 1 species belongs to Lycopodiophyta; 14 species belong to Pteridophyta and 410 species, 10 subspecies, 1 variety and 2 hybrid species belong to Spermatophyta division. The richest families about taxa are: Asteraceae (57), Poaceae (50), Fabaceae (29), Brassicaceae (29), Rosaceae (26), Lamiaceae (22), Caryophyllaceae (21), Cyperaceae (17), Apiaceae (15), Boraginaceae (15) and Ranunculaceae (15). It was found that 229 hemicryptophytes, 145 cryptophytes, 62 therophytes, 57 chamaephytes, 17 phanerophytes, 3 nanophanerophytes, 2 vascular parasites, 1 nanophanerophyte/chamaephyte and 1 hydrophyte in life spectra of taxa. It was determined that there are 224 Euro-Siberian, 21 Irano-Turanian and 11 Mediterranean phytogeographic region elements in the study area. In the study area, 8 plant associations which are belong to forest (Sedo stoloniferi-Piceetum orientalis), alpine shurb (Vaccinio myrtilliRhododendretum caucasici) and high mountain meadow (Gentiano pyrenicae-Nardetum strictae, Festucetum lazistanico-woronowii, Agrostio lazicae-Sibbaldietum parviflorae, Carduo lanuginosi-Thalicretum foetidae, Stachyo macranthae-Polygonetum carnei and Thalictro foetidi-Epilobietum angustifolii) vegetations were determined. 2 of these associations (Carduo lanuginosi-Thalicretum foetidae and Thalictro foetidi-Epilobietum angustifolii) were introduced to science for the first time with this study. It was determined that 58 natural taxa included to 43 genus and 24 families were used for different purposes by the local people. From these taxa 30 taxa used as nutrition, 20 taxa as medicine, 9 taxa as tea, 8 taxa as fuel for heating, 6 taxa as ornemantal plant, 1 taxa used as antiseptic for animals and 1 taxa used as construction materials. Keywords: Flora, Phytosociology, Ethnobotany, Başhemşin, Rize