New Insights into Traded Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Turkey

Abstract

Flora of Turkey is rich and diverse with over 10,000 flowering plant species and exceeding 12,000 taxa. It comprises 33% of endemic plants. One third of the flora consists of aromatic plants and ca. 1,000 plant species are used in folk medicine. Flora of Turkey is well documented in 11 volumes of Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands (1965-2001). Turkey exports annually $200 million worth of medicinal and aromatic plants to world markets. This review reports on the export situation of selected medicinal and aromatic plants of Turkey such as Opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), Rose products (Rosa damascena), Oregano (Origanum, Thymus, Thymbra, Satureja, Coridothymus), sage (Salvia fruticosa, S. officinalis), mint (Mentha spicata, M. piperita), laurel (Laurus nobilis), liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), gypsophila (Gypsophila spp.), Salep (Orchidaceae plants), aniseeds (Pimpinella anisum), linden flower (Tilia spp.), etc.