title: Ethnobotanical survey of plants used in Afyonkarahisar-Turkey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The traditional knowledge about plants and their uses in Turkey is disappearing in recent years because the new generations of villagers migrate to big cities for a better life. Afyonkarahisar located at the intersection of roads and phytogeographical regions (Mediterranean, Iran-Turan, and Euro-Siberian) has more than 2500 plant species. This richness of plant diversity promotes the indigenous commuity for the traditional use of wild plants. The aim of the study is to show wild plants' ethnobotanical usages associated with medicinal, food, fodder, and household goods in 31 settlements within the boundaries of Afyonkarahisar province.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ethnobotanical data were collected from 46 informants by means of semi-structured interviews from 2012 to 2014. Ethnobotanical uses of plants of the study area were conducted in the vicinity of Afyonkarahisar (5 districts, 8 towns, 15 villages, and 3 neighborhood centers).
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and thirty plant taxa belonging to 39 families were recorded and collected. Hundred and seventy-eight different uses of these plants were documented and used generally for medicinal (84), food (68), fodder (16), household goods (3), dyes (3), handicrafts (3) and religious (1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides interesting uses of plants in the local community of Afyonkarahisar and its surrounding area, in what purpose they make use of plants, how they make use of them and obtained results will contribute to economy of villagers. Since the local people, especially in villages, are poor and do not have health care, they use the plants to treat illnesses, food, fodder, household goods and other uses (evil eye). Also this study will light the way for posterity for next generations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science & Arts Faculty, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. slymanari@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Süleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arı
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science & Arts Faculty, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. mtemel@aku.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Temel
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science & Arts Faculty, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. kargi@aku.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kargıoğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Üsküdar University, 34662, Istanbul, Turkey. mkonuk@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Muhsin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Konuk
mesh_terms: D019448:Ethnobotany; D010945:Plants, Edible; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey