Genetic Diversity of Medicinal Plants and Their Growing Potential in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey

A preliminary survey on the medicinal plant diversity in the flora of the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey was made during 2001-2004 years. Plants were collected from 585 to 2056 m altitude. A total of 229 plants belonging to 39 families were recorded and identified. All plants were grouped according to their areas of usage, such as aromatic plants, dye plants, bulb plants and other uses. Collected plants include 39 families; Acanthaceae (1), Amaryllidaceae (1), Anacardiaceae (1), Apiaceae (10), Araceae (2), Boraginaceae (16), Capparaceae (1), Caprifoliaceae (1), Caryophyllaceae (5), Companulaceae (1), Compositae (25), Convolvulaceae (2), Crassulaceae (1), Cruciferae (16), Dipsacaceae (2), Fabaceae (16), Gentianeceae (1), Geraniaceae (1), Graminea (1), Guttiferae (5), Iridaceae (12), Labiatea (39), Liliaceae (13), Linaceae (4), Malvaceae (5), Oleaceae (1), Orchidaceae (4), Papaveraceae (5), Plantaginaceae (1), Portulacaceae (1), Ranunculaceae (5), Resedaceae (1), Rosaceae (6), Rubiaceae (2), Scrophulariceae (10), Solanaceae (6), Urticaceae (2), Valerianaceae (2) and Zygopyllaceae (1). In the study, a total of 47 medicinal and 25 bulb plants were taken under cultivation. It is considered that Rhus, Capparis, Achillea, Tanacetum, Anthemis, Sinapis, Crambe, Isatis, Glychirrza, Trigonella, Hypericum, Mentha, Nepeta, Ocimum, Origanum, Salvia, Satureja, Teucrium, Thymbra, Thymus, Nigella, Plantago, Reseda, Rosa, Rubia, Datura, Hyoscyamus, Coriandrum, Foeniculum, Urtica, Valeriana and Peganum species may be evaluated economically. Bulbs, especially Fritillaria, Hyacinthus, Ophrys oestifera, Orchis simia and Sternbergia species, collected from the wild nature and introduced materials gave good adaptation and could be grown satisfactorily.