Turkey Anatolia Peninsula vegetation natural bridge characteristic climate forests Endemic plants Menengiç, sakiz, kocayemiş, sandal, mersin, pirnal mesesi, akçakesme, lâden, funda, defne, delice, katırtırnağı, adaçayi, kekik, ballibaba, dügünçiçekleri, çançiçekleri, siklamen, glayöl, salep, Manisa lalesi, çigdem, menekse, karanfil, "sigla" tree, Red pine tree, Black pine trees, Bonito oak, Lebanon cedar, Katranardıcı, Black Sea Plant Societies, mese, disbudak, kestane, ihlamur, akçaagaç, kizilagaç, karaagaç, musmula, tatlan, kizilcik, yabani erik, yabani visne, yabani kiraz, defne and mürver, hazelnut and horn, ormangülü, bögürtlen, kurtbagri "Ligustrum vulgare", atesdikeni, yabangülü, hanimeli, simsir, Iran -Turan Plant Area (Steppes), Steppe plants, daisies, crocuses, violet, weasels, buttercups, kandamlalari, ballibabalar, sigirkuyruklari, thistles, gevenler, çoban yastiklari, peygamberçiçekleri, hazeranlar, Alpin Zone Plant Societies, mine, hercai menekseler, yildiz çiçekleri, kar çiçekleri, kardelenler, dügünçiçekleri, yalaçiçekleri, damkoruklari, taskiranlar, zambaklar, süsenler, and aglayan gelin flowers, Orman gülü and big çan çiçekleri, sonbahar çigdemleri, cherry, almond, apricot, wheat, chickpea, lentil, fig, tulip, snowdrop and crocus, Orchid, Garden Cress, Beet, Cherry, Linen, Thyme, Pear, Rye, Trigonella Cretica, Sorb, Sage, Saffron, Crocus Ancyrensis, Crocus Biflorus, Crocus Danfordae, Crocus Abantensis, Crocus Pastolazzae, Safranbolu, Radish

Turkey is superior than Europe according to vegetation variety. Because, Turkey is not only superior than Europe in connection with endemic plants which grow only a certain region or whose homeland is a certain region in the world but also one of the a few regions of the world. While endemic plant number of Europe is 2.750 this number equals to 3.000 in Turkey. Endemic plant number is only 600 in Antalya. Total plant number of England is 2.000. (9.000 in Turkey). It is known that one of the Mediterranean states, Spain as well as Former Yugoslavia have 500 endemic plants each. It is known that Bulgaria has 3.650, Greece 5.000, Cyprus 2.000, Syria - Lebanon 3.500, Iraq 4.000, Iran 8.000, France 4.500, Germany 2.500, Italy 5.600, Spain 5.000, Romania, 3.400, England 2.000, Hungry 2.214, Island 377 and Norway 1.715 plants on the basis of total plant number.

3 city of Turkey which have most endemic plants are Antalya with 578, Konya with 478 and Içel with 366. As you can see city of Antalya is richer than countries such as Spain and Former Yugoslavia. It can easily be estimated that city of Içel is richer than most of the European countries in connection with Endemic (and Non - Endemic) plant richness. If Antalya and Içel are thought together, it can be easily found that this two city become unrivalled against European countries with their plant potential.

Europe's most endemic plant owning country except Turkey, is Greece has 800 endemic plants. Rival country, Italy's endemic plant number is 712. Endemic plant number of Japan is 2.000, USA's 4.036 and Switzerland's is 1. As it can be considered that cities of TurkeyF can be compared with countries of Europe but Europe continent is poorer than Turkey as a total.

One of the most important reason for plant richness of Turkey is being Anatolia a shelter for plants during the ice age. Today Turkey is at the intersection point of 3 different plant area which is not present in either of the European country. These plant area are Mediterranean Plant Area (includes Mediterranean and Aegean regions), European - Siberia Plant Area (includes Black Sea and Marmara region), Iran - Turan Plant Area (includes Central Anatolia and Easter Anatolia regions.).

Mediterranean Plant Societies
Mediterranean plant societies had been spread till to the Aegean, Marmara, Central Black Sea and west parts of Southeastern Anatolia with exceeding Mediterranean geographical region territories. Scrub, which is accepted as the most important plant society of the Mediterranean plant societies, is also defined as "dwarfish forest" in connection with botanic. Scrub plant societies, whose physiological structure (thick and like tanned leather) and leaves has a water economy for enduring to summer time draught start from the sea level and goes until 300 or 400 meters high, even to the more higher areas under appropriate conditions. Shrub composing scrub union and bush unique beautiful and strong odors are present. Menengiç, sakiz, kocayemiş, sandal, mersin, pirnal mesesi, akçakesme, lâden, funda, defne, delice, katirtirnagi are most faced members of the scrub union. At the lower parts of shrubs adaçayi, kekik, ballibaba, dügünçiçekleri, çançiçekleri, siklamen, glayöl, salep, Manisa lalesi, çigdem, menekse, karanfil like grassy plants are growing.

Another member of Mediterranean plant societies is "sigla" tree. This tree, whose other name is günlük, is present as small forest groups at coastal parts where ground water is high of Mugla city's Fethiye, Köyceğiz, Marmaris ve Datça provinces. Red pine tree is also a Mediterranean unique plant type as much as scrub. Generally it starts after scrub and reach to 800 - 1000 meters high from sea level, or even under appropriate climate conditions till to 1200 meters high. Red pine, which also lives places where its shadow is on the sea from time to time at Mediterranean and Aegean coasts, is the most sensitive tree against fire.

Black pine trees, which are at the upper territories of red pine forests, and which can rise 30 - 35 meters on their body, are growing in the areas, starting from 900 - 1000 meters height and until 1800 - 1900 meters height. Cedar and fir societies can also be faced after red pines at some parts of the region. This tree type, also known as Lebanon cedar, is present with Katranardici at north west of Antalya. At east parts of Antalya, only cypress forest (700 hectares) at Mediterranean basin of the Köprülü Canyon National park is present. In Eastern Mediterranean region, at Amanos mountains locally present beech forest is the final point which spread to south of this tree. Bonito oak in central Aegean region, pistachio pine near to Bergama and hoop oak, an endemic specie near to Egirdir - Kovada and cedar mixed forests are valuable places for visiting.

European - Siberia Plant Societies (Black Sea Plant Societies)
Black Sea Plant Society, which is under impact of a warm climate and a regular raining regime, is composed of all of the Black Sea Region as well as Marmara and Thrace, and also from place to place it is infiltrating into Central and Eastern Anatolia regions. Dominant plant cover of all of the Black Sea Region is forests. Meadows are widespread in Marmara and Thrace. In Black Sea plant society, especially in the areas where hazelnut and horn beeches are spread at eastern parts, there is a forest texture rich with mese, disbudak, kestane, ihlamur, akçaagaç, kizilagaç, karaagaç, musmula, tatlan, kizilcik, yabani erik, yabani visne, yabani kiraz, defne and mürver trees. Plant texture ascending to 700 - 900 meters height beginning from coastal parts turns into ormangülü, bögürtlen, kurtbagri "Ligustrum vulgare", atesdikeni, yabangülü, hanimeli, simsir like shrubs and bushes at lower parts.

Plants unique to this region are species used too much on the contrary to the ones in Mediterranean. A mature beech tree, is revealing half tones of water Per day to atmosphere via perspiration. At the upper parts of this plant society, beginning from 600 - 700 meters height, beech trees are faced. At higher places, between 1. 100 and 1. 300 meters, breech - fir mixture begins, and reaches till 1. 800 - 2. 000 meters. There are oak, horn beech, black pine, badger trees within this plant society. Also at east end of Black Sea fir trees leave its place to spruce trees, which can leave at higher altitudes and can reach to 2. 300 - 2. 400 meters within forest. At least moist regions of higher levels yellow pine forests, and at slopes facing south oak forests are covering wide areas at middle levels.

Iran -Turan Plant Area (Steppes)
Steppes generally composed of xerophytic plant species and seen in wide areas reaching from Thrace to Iran and Iraq are the most common plant cover of Anatolia. Steppe plant cover, formed with the continuance of presence of one or more years long - lived plants in places where raining does not covering needs of a tree, can also develop in plentifully raining places.

Steppe plants, which are generally growing in lands without trees, are preventing Anatolian lands from the rage of raining and wind, meaning erosion. Steppes, which are extraordinarily rich in connection with plant variety can sometimes include more than hundred species of a single plant family. This variety is taking a great color and texture richness to the steppe. Especially in spring, greening as well as decorating Anatolian lands with yellow, red, blue, purple, pink colors for a few months, daisies, crocuses, violet, weasels, buttercups, kandamlalari, ballibabalar, sigirkuyruklari, thistles, gevenler, çoban yastiklari, peygamberçiçekleri, hazeranlar and more, are turning geography in which they are present into a color carousal with their short - term lives. Steppe flowers are reflected to pieces of art with their rich colors and forms, and lots of motifs including kilims are woven.

Alpin Zone Plant Societies
Alpin zone plant societies are beginning from upper limits of forest ecological systems and reach to the heights where snow cover is continuing (approximately between 2. 000 and 3. 500 meters). If you remember that a rough and mountainous country, Turkey has 129 peeks exceeding three thousand meters, it can be mentioned that Alpin zone plants are covering a very wide area within the country, even all of the pastures known as "plateau" are inside in this plant zone.

There is no tree within Alpin zone plant societies, similar as steppes, there are one or more years long lived but natural conditions enduring grassy plants. But here limiting factor not allowing cultivation of trees is not the small amount of rain, but is low environmental temperature. Snow cover continuing from October to May, is allowing plant maximum four or five months to live. At the upper parts of Alpin zone, you are not even be able to see grasses. You can only face with likens which are the unions of colorful mosses and mushrooms on the rocks.

Lower parts of the Alpin plant zone are the places where soil is thick and genuine meadow grasses are plentiful. Generally soil layer become thin and plant cover become rare at upper parts. Here you can face with mine, hercai menekseler, yildiz çiçekleri, kar çiçekleri, kardelenler, dügünçiçekleri, yalaçiçekleri, damkoruklari, taskiranlar, zambaklar, süsenler, and aglayan gelin flowers generally at hallows composed of rock cracks. Orman gülü and big çan çiçekleri, sonbahar çigdemleri with yellow and white colored flowers at plateaus of East Black Sea, are also the members of this plant societies.

Endemic Plants Used In Meals
30 % of the agricultural plants, having a key role in nourishment of human beings are based from Anatolia (For example: cherry, almond, apricot, wheat, chickpea, lentil, fig, tulip, snowdrop and crocus). Some endemic plants of Turkey includes culture plants, and some wild herbs which are not culture plants can also be used as meal material together with culture plants. These plants have importance in connection with richness of Turkish kitchen and being unrivalled.

Orchid: There are endemic orchid types in Turkey. Sahlep can be made from these, and also added to ice - creams in city of K. Maras. Sahlep made up of orchids at the source of being famous of Maras Ice - Cream, has an important role. As a matter of fact, endemically Cephalanthera kotschyana, Dactylorhiza Osmanica orchids are cultivated in this city. Almond: There are endemic almond trees in Turkey, and these are cultivated in Elazig, Hakkari, Mersin, Maras and Van.

Garden Cress: There are some endemic types of garden cress used in the salads, these species are the endemic plants from cities Adana, Bitlis, Hakkari, Kastamonu, Konya, Maras, Nigde and Van of Turkey. Asparagus: It is known that an important nutrition material, asparagus vegetable is endemic in 3 of our cities. Species of it are Asparagus Lycicus in Antalya, Asparagus Coodei in Konya and Mersin, and again in Konya with the name in antic period Asparagus Lycaonicus.

Beet: There are two beet vegetation endemic to Turkey, and their names are related with their correspondent regions. Their names are Beta Adanensis in Adana and Beta Trojana in Çanakkale.

Cherry: Turkey also have endemic plants in connection with cherry types. For example, Cerasus Incana in Amasya, Erzurum, Kayseri, Nigde and Tokat cities, Cerasus Erzincanica in Erzincan, and Cerasus Hippophaeoides in Sivas species are composing the endemic cherries of Turkey. Chickpea: Cicer Isauricum in Antalya and Cicer Reticulatum in Mardin are endemic chickpeas of Turkey.

Linen: Turkey is very rich in connection with endemic species of linen plant, used in flax and cooking sector. Several endemic species of this plant can be faced in various cities of Turkey. For example, Linum Pseudanatolicum in Adana, Linum ... Anatolicum in Amasya (4 pieces endemic), in Ankara (3 pcs.), Linum Pamphlyicum in Antalya (3 pcs.), in Denizli (3 pcs.) samples can be given.

Thyme: Turkey is also rich in connection with endemic thyme species. For example; Origanum Amanum in Adana, Origanum Sipyleum in Afyon, Origanum Munzurensis in Tunceli can be mentioned. Polygonum (Madimak): It is seen that rich endemic species of polygonum plant, mentioned even in folk songs and an important foodstuff for rural region natives, are present in Turkey. For example; Polygonum Afyonicum in Afyon, P. Salebrosum in Antalya, Polygonum Cappadocicum in Kayseri, P. Karacae in Mugla, Polygonum Samsunicum in Samsun, Polygonum Sivasicum in Sivas can be given as samples.

Pear: It can be seen that Turkey is rich in connection with endemic pear species. For example; Pyrus Boisseriana ... Crenulata in Antalya, Pyrus Yaltirikii in Bingöl, Pyrus Syriaca in Bitlis, Diyarbakir, Samsun and Elazig, Pyrus Hakkairica and P. Solicifolia in Hakkari (Hakkari is the richest city of Turkey with 3 pcs. of pear species), Pyrus Anatolica in Usak samples can be given.

Rye: There is only one endemic rye plant in Turkey (Secale Cereale ... Ancestrale). This plant is naturally cultivated in cities of Agri, Bingöl, Gümüshane, Kars, Kayseri, Mardin, Mus, Nevsehir, Tunceli and Van. Cummin: Rich endemic species of cummin is present in Anatolia. For example; Trigonella Cretica in Ankara, Bilecik, Mugla and Urfa, Trigonella Lycica in Antalya, Trigonella Cilicica in Mersin, T. Sirjaevii in Mugla and Bursa can be shown as samples.
Sorb: The only endemic sorb species of Turkey are present in city of Rize: There are Sorbus Caucasica and yaltirikii. But this sorb specie should be protected and it is under vanish danger.

Sage: Turkey is rich in connection with endemic sage species. There are more than one endemic sage species in various cities of Turkey. For example; Salvia Cilicica in Adana, Salvia Pisidica in Afyon, Salvia Smyrnaea in Aydin and Izmir, Salvia ... Euphratica in Malatya, Salvia Yosgadensis in Yozgat are interesting named sages.

Saffron: Saffron plant, whose name in literature is crocus is cultivated in Safranbolu. Saffron is used in a regional meal, Zerde Desert and in pilafs. Safranbolu and environment is also rich in connection with endemic Crocus species (Crocus Ancyrensis, Crocus Biflorus, Crocus Danfordae, Crocus Abantensis, Crocus Pastolazzae).

Radish: It is an endemic plant, which belongs to icotia carnosula named radish family, and cultivated in Antalya and Mugla, and natives are eating this plant as fresh or cooked.