Determination Of ethnobotanical characteristics of folk medicines traditionally used in the villages Of Esendal, Balalan, Serinsu, Boyalı, Çıralı, And Mutlugün (Yusufeli/Artvin)

This study aims to determine the local names and intended uses of medicinal and aromatic plant species used by locals in the villages of Esendal, Balalan, Serinsu, Boyalı, Çıralı, and Mutlugün, all located in the Yusufeli district of Artvin province, between 2022 and 2025. The study addressed the methods used to collect the plants used as folk medicine, the length of storage, the quantities and preparation methods, the herbs they can be mixed with, and the number of generations these practices have been in use. The purpose of this study was to analyze the usefulness of the information gathered from local residents and to determine the feasibility of disseminating this information to the public. The study area lies at elevations between 800 and 2400 meters. Located in the A8 grid of Davis's grid system, this region is included in the Colchic subsection of the Euxine subregion within the Euro-Siberian flora of the Holarctic belt. Collected data were analyzed using factors such as Informant Consensus (FIC), Use Value (UV) and Fidelity Level (FL). A survey was conducted with 108 participants from the region as part of the study. The survey revealed that the local population uses a total of 84 plant species from 39 different families for medicinal and aromatic purposes. The families with the richest taxon diversity in the study area were identified as Rosaceae (12 taxa), Apiaceae (6 taxa), Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, and Lamiaceae (5 taxa each). In addition, the conservation status of 84 endemic and non-endemic species was examined according to IUCN threat classification.