The region where the plant collections were made has a temperate climate and is located in the north of Turkey. Various plant species are distributed in the region where both maritime and continental climates prevail.  Within this vegetation, there are many plants that local people collect and consume from nature and believe to be medicinal.  The research was carried out in three large public markets in Samsun province for about four months between March and June in 2023. It was observed that the most consumed plants were Trachystemon orientalis L, Ornithogalum sigmoideum/O orthophyllum, Oenanthe pimpinelloides L, Smilax aspera L, S excale L and Urtica dioica and a mixture of plants containing different wild plant species, which the local people define as “herb mixture”.  It was reported that the plants are consumed as vegetable dishes by cooking, pickling, boiling or soup. These plants are collected from the natural environment in March, April and May, during different growth periods of the plants and sold in the markets. As a result of this study, it was concluded that the collection of rhizomatous and bulbous plants such as Trachystemon orientalis L, Ornithogalum sigmoideum/O orthophyllum should be done in a way that the generation of the plant will continue, and that it may be useful to determine the secondary components of these plants, which are consumed by believing that they are medicinal, in different developmental periods and to provide a source for future studies.

Keywords: food, wild plant, nature area, consumed, medicinal plant

Turkey has a wide ecological diversity due to climate differences, topographic, geological and geomorphological diversity, diversity of different water environments such as sea, lake, rivers, elevation differences, being at the junction of three different plant geographies. There are approximately 12456 plant species in the flora and 4056 endemic species. In terms of plant biodiversity, Turkey ranks first among the temperate zone countries.¹ Samsun province, which is the research region, is located in the Central Black Sea region in the north of Turkey. Samsun province is rainy almost every season, hot in summer and mild in winter. The plants collected from nature and consumed in Samsun are more or less similar to the plants consumed in the whole Black Sea region. The medicinal values of these plants have been told since ancient times and have come to the present day. Researchers who examined the plants collected from nature, Plantago major and P Lanceolata L, Urtica dioica, Smilax excelsa L, Malva slyvestris L, have been used for various purposes such as eczema, stomach and intestinal complaints, asthma, cough, diabetes, wound treatment^2,3 Plantago intermedia and Trachystemon orientalis have antimicrobial properties.⁴

In recent years, as in the world, interest in nutrition with natural products and the use of medicinal plants has been increasing in our country. Today, additive foods with long shelf life, herbal products that are over sprayed against diseases and pests and fertilized with different chemical fertilizers for high yields are just a few of the factors that support unhealthy nutrition and disrupt our immune system. In our world, which is developing in every aspect, in addition to individual efforts, the food and pharmaceutical sectors, especially agriculture, are in search of different ways to produce healthy products.  Among these, it is possible to find many examples such as natural cosmetic products, plant extracts that strengthen the immune system, natural antioxidants used in the food sector, wound burn creams made from plant extracts, plant oils used in aromatherapy.⁵ Since the existence of mankind, plants in nature have been utilized for different purposes in many countries, some of them have been cultivated and some of them are still consumed by collecting them from nature.⁶ In this study, some plants harvested from nature and consumed in Samsun province and their consumed methods were examined.

The data in the article consist of the botanical and local names, collection times, parts used, and monthly consumption amounts of the plants collected from nature and sold in public markets in the center and district villages of Samsun province located in the north of Turkey.  The main objectives of the study are to reveal the medicinal properties of the plants, to determine the species that are in danger of extinction by being collected from nature and to put forward solution methods against this problem. The research started on March 1, 2023, the date when the plants were first brought to the market, and ended on June 21, 2023. The end date of the research was determined as the date when the consumption of the collected plants decreased due to flowering and aging.   In order to collect data for the study, “Unkapanı Bazaar”, “Modern Bazaar” and “Station Bazaar”, which are defined as the biggest public bazaars established in the center of Samsun province, were visited every week on Saturday from 7.00 in the morning. During these visits, plant photographs were taken, plant samples were taken for herbarium, quantities of products brought to the market, places of collection from nature, consumption patterns and consumption purposes were recorded.  Species identification and description of the plants were made according to Baytop, Bown, and Tekin.^7–9.

Samsun is located in the Central Black Sea Region of the Black Sea Region in northern Turkey.  The total area of the province is 9.725 km². The city is located between the deltas formed by two large rivers. Of the total land area, 45% is made up of mountains, 37% of plateaus and 18% of plains. The total agricultural area is 374,094 hectares. Samsun is also one of the most important port cities of the Black Sea Region. The province, which is rich in terms of vegetation and biodiversity, has one thousand 784 vascular plants, 147 of which are endemic in plant biodiversity.  The climate varies in coastal and inland areas due to its geography. In the coastal strip where the Black Sea climate is experienced, summers are hot and humid and winters are mild-cool. On the other hand, in the interior, which has a continental climate due to the influence of the mountains, winters are cold, rainy and snowy, and summers are cool. The average annual temperature of the province is 14.5 °C and the average annual total precipitation is 716.6 mm.¹⁰

The total population of the province is estimated at 1.383.668 and While 54% of the total population lives in the city, 46% lives in rural areas.  In the province, bazaars are established every day of the week, but in this study, the 3 largest of these bazaars, all of which are established on Saturday and which are most visited by the public due to the weekend, were included in the research.¹¹

During the visits to the villages to see the areas where the plants were collected, it was observed that the plants were generally located far away from settlements, in meadow-pasture areas, forested areas, under hazelnuts, and fallow lands. Although it varies according to the climatic conditions in the region, it was observed that the collection of the plants started in the first week of March and ended after the solstice on June 21 due to the increase in cellulose content in plant tissues, hardening of leaves and stems, seed maturation, and bitter taste. For this reason, the market visits were continued between March 1 and June 21. In this article, the data obtained from the weekly market visits made in the three big public markets of Samsun province between these dates were evaluated for the plant mixture including Trachystemon orientalis L, Ornithogalum sigmoideum/O orthophyllum, Oenanthe pimpinelloides L, Smilax aspera L, S excale L and Urtica dioica, which are the most consumed plants in the weekly market visits and which the local people define as “Herb mix”.

The local and botanical names, families, parts used and known therapeutic effects of the plants are given in Table 1, and the quantities of products brought to the three large markets for 4 months are given in Table 2. In the interviews with the consumers, it was found that the consumption patterns of the plants were similar to each other, they were consumed by roasting with onion and garlic, and it was also found that it was common to make pickles from Trachystemon orientalis L, Ornithogalum sigmoideum/O orthophyllum, Oenanthe pimpinelloides L, Smilax aspera L, S excale L, species. In addition, the variability seen in the local names of the plants among consumers was also seen in the ingredients and ratios added to the food such as corn flour, corn bulgur, rice, wheat bulgur, chili pepper, butter, olive oil, etc. according to the taste of the consumer.

Trachystemon orientalis L, Ornithogalum sigmoideum/O. orthophyllum species took the first place among the most consumed plants collected from nature, followed by Oenanthe pimpinelloides L, Smilax aspera L, S.excale L and Urtica dioica and “Herb mix” which is a mixture of different plant species (Table 1, Figure 1).

Figure 1 Photos of some wild plants collected from nature.

The “Herb mixture” is a mixture of some wild plants that the people of the region consume at least once a year until the end of May, with the idea that “herbs carry the healing of nature, every herb should be healed”, cooked with rice, corn flour, corn bulgur or boiled and roasted with onions. The types and quantities of herbs in the mixture varied according to the months, the collector, and the ecology of the rural area where it was brought. Ornithogalum sigmoideum/O Orthophyllum, one of the most consumed plants, is a bulbous plant collected from barren, no-tillage meadow pasture areas and hazelnut gardens for about two months. The leafy white bulbs of the plant are collected until the flowering period and are discontinued at the end of flowering due to the increase in mucilage substances. The unit price is higher than other plants. Ornithogalum species, whose leaves are collected from the moment they appear on the soil surface until the end of flowering, reproduce with their bulbs and seeds. However, since the bulbs are harvested before they reach the seed formation stage, there is no possibility for the plant to reproduce by forming seeds. After boiling and draining the water, it is consumed by roasting with corn flour or by making salads or preserves.

Among the plants examined, Trachystemon orientalis L (Table 1), which can be found in the market for the longest time and is the most consumed plant, is collected in early March and its newly developing pink colored rhizomes, shoots and young flower buds are boiled and consumed by roasting with onions. Leaves and flower stems collected in June are used for pickling, canning and pickling. Trachystemon orientalis L, which usually grows in moist, forested areas with high organic matter content, reproduces by rhizomes. Young rhizomes, unopened flower buds, leaves and petioles, flowers and flower stalks in full bloom are consumed at every stage of development.

Nettle (Urtica dioica /U urens) is considered indispensable in the local cuisine and its fresh leaves and shoots are consumed. It is collected and consumed starting from the period when it has 2-4 leaves in spring until the beginning of flowering. The plant, which is available in the markets until the end of June, is easily propagated by seeds and rhizomes. The plant, which spreads as a weed especially in hazelnut gardens, is made into soup made with corn flour and broth, herbal tea, food and roasted. It is a plant consumed by local people as a source of healing. It is generally not consumed in summer due to the fibrous plant tissues.

Another plant consumed is Oenanthe pimpinelloides L, which reproduces by seeds. The plant, which is consumed especially by making pickles, is collected from barren areas and hazelnut gardens by cutting the root crown with a knife for about 2-3 months until the flower stalks are formed. It is not possible for the plant harvested in this way to regenerate shoots from the parts remaining in the soil, and since it is collected before flowering, it is prevented from producing seeds. Smilax aspera L, S excale L, which grows in forest and field edges, maquis areas, the reddish shoots that develop at the ends of the branches in March-April and May are collected until they become fibrous and harden and are used as in other plants (Table 1).

In addition, especially in March-April, the first growth period of plants, Polygonum cognatum Meissn, P arenastrum, Capsella bursa-pastoris L Medik, Chenopodium album, Amaranthus chlorostachys willd, A retroflexus L, Malva neglegta, Papaver rhoeas, Sisymbrium altissimus, Plantago major and Plantago media, Sinapsis arvensis, Rumex crispus, Bellis perennis, Gernium aspholedeloides, G sylvaticum, Cichorium intybus and Taraxacum officinale species, which are fresh plants with 2-6 leaves and not in bloom, and it was determined that this mixture of about 20 plant species was made into a juicy dish and consumed with pleasure. The variety and amount of wild plant species in the mixture varied according to the collector, the biodiversity of the region where it was collected and the season (Table 2).

In the interviews with consumers in the markets, it was found that Trachystemon orientalis L. is a satiating, relieving constipation, stomachic, expectorant, Smiliax aspera L, S excale L, is digestive, constipation relieving, appetizing, Urtica dioica L/U Urens L are immune system strengthening, blood forming, kidney working, rheumatic pains curing, Oenanthe pimpinelloides is appetizing, toxin removing, digestive facilitating.

It was determined that a significant amount of different plant species were collected from the center and district villages of Samsun province and brought to the market, and these plants provided an additional income to the producers. It was seen that the medicinal values or the benefits of these consumed plants were based on traditional knowledge. When the results of the research are evaluated in general, it is determined that there is a need to determine the secondary components of the plants in different development periods. During the harvesting, it was concluded that plant propagation material such as seeds, rhizomes and bulbs were harvested without leaving them for the next year and that informative and educational measures should be taken for this.

We would like to thank all producers and consumers who supported our research in the market.

Any conflict of interest exists in this research.

1. Demirci B, B Çal. Mapping edible herbs ın turkey. Akademik MATBUAT. 2024;8(1).
2. Tuzlacı E, E Tolon. Turkish folk medicinal plants, part ııı: şile (istanbul). Fitoterapia. 2000;71:673–685.
3. Tuzlacı E, EP Aymaz. Turkish folk medicinal plants, part vı: gönen (balıkesir). Fitoterapia. 2001;72:323–343.
4. Uzun E, Sarıyar G, Adsersen A, et al. Traditional medicine in sakarya province (turkey) and antimicrobial activities of selected species. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2004;95:287–296.
5. Baydar H. Science and Technology of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants.
6. Mutlu H. Edible wild plants and consumption methods in afyonkarahisar. Journal of Tourism and Gastronomy Studies. 2023;11 (2):1696–1726.
7. Baytop T. Dictionary of plant names in Turkish. Atatürk Culture, Ankara. 1994.
8. Bown D. Encylopedia of Herbs and Their uses. The Royal Horticultural Society. 1995.
9. Tekin E. The Most Beatiful Wild Flowers of Turkey.
10. Yılmaz C, H Zeybek. Canik Municipality Culture Publications.
11. Karagöz İ. Food names in Samsun and its districts.2006;663–670.