An ethnobotanical study in Gümüşhane region

This study aims to reveal the ethnobotanical culture coming out of the ties between the people who live in the villages and plateaus of Gümüşhane-a city in Turkey and the natural plants used for different purposes (medicine, food supply, spice, forage, equipment design etc.). In the scope of this study, 135 people from 17 villages and 2 plateaus of Gümüşhane are met face to face and given questionnaires. Herbarium samples which were taken from the plants indicated by the dwellers are diagnosed. As a result, it is understood that 74 taxons belonging to 38 family have been used in different ways in the territory. It is recorded that 48 of the identified species are used for medical purposes; 26 of them are consumed for food; 5 of them are used as spice; 4 of the are used to design equipments; 3 of them are used for forage and 6 of them are used for different purposes. As a result of this study, it is found that Phlomis pungens Willd. var. hirta Velen. is consumed for food; Tragopogon buphthalmoides var. buphthalmoides (DC.) Boiss. is a galactagogue for breastfeeding mothers; Echinops ossicus K.Koch is good for sweating and weight loss. It also calms the body and reduces fever; Salvia verticilata L. subsp. verticilata L. and Cervispina cathartica (L.) Moench and Bilacunaria microcarpa (M.Bieb.) Pimenov & V.N.Tikhom heal the wounds; Drinking latex of Euphorbia esula subsp. tommasiniana (Bertol.) Kuzmanov helps to get rid of stomach worm; Echium italicum L. is benefical for patients who have been suffering from bronchitis and cough; Globularia trichosantha subsp. trichosantha Fisch. & Mey. is used to heal tinea; has been recorded. The families containing the most taxa with ethnobotanical characteristics are respectively; It was determined as Asteraceae with 12 taxa, Lamiaceae with 9 taxa and Apiaceae with 5 taxa. Key Words: Ethobotany, Non-Wood Forest Products, Traditional Uses, Gümüşhane, Turkey