The determination and fidelity level of medicinal plants used to make traditional Turkish salves.
OBJECTIVE
This study has been done in order to identify plants that were used to make traditional Turkish salves between 2007 and 2008.


METHODS
During the step of identification of plants, the informants from different cities of Turkey were asked questions about the salves they have made and which plants and materials they have used. In this study, a total of 105 people from 21 provinces (N = 5 each province) were interviewed. Information was gathered through scientifically guided questionnaires, interviews, and general conversations, and fidelity level (FL) of species was determined.


RESULTS
According to the results of the identification, 68 plants are being used to make Traditional Turkish Salves for medicinal purposes in Turkey. Among them, 61 plants are wild and 7 plants are cultivated plants. Most used families were Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Liliaceae, and Rosaceae. Urtica dioica (100%) has the highest FL and Lawsonia inermis (33%) has the lowest.


CONCLUSIONS
The data provided from our informants and analyzed in the present article clearly show that folk knowledge on medicinal plants and plant uses is still alive in the studied region.
Ugulu
Ilker
I
Buca Faculty of Education, Biology Department, Dokuz Eylul University, Buca, Izmir- Turkey.
Baslar
Suleyman
S
D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009824:Ointments / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012648:Self Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey
D009824:Ointments; D010936:Plant Extracts