Abstract

In terms of richness of plant species, Turkey has an important position in the world. It contains about 9,000 plant species and 11,500 taxa. Moreover, more than 1,000 plant species are used as medicinal and aromatic plants in our country. Medicinal plants are mostly evaluated by gathering from nature. Lamiaceae family covers many well-known and economically important medicinal types such as mint, sage, balm, thyme, lavender, basil. These plants, with wide adaptation limits, are well adapted to temperate and tropical regions. Although it is found in the natural flora of almost every region in our country, the Aegean and Mediterranean regions have an important position in terms of endemic species of the family. Although there are many aromatic plant species belonging to the family Lamiaceae described as thyme in Turkey, especially species containing the essential oil carvacrol and thymol compounds are considered as “thyme”.

Recent studies have shown that these plants can be evaluated in many ways both in agriculture and various industrial fields. Essential oils obtained from plants are used in the supply of raw materials in a wide range of industries (paint, toothpaste, chewing gum, etc.), especially in medicine and pharmacy, chemistry, food, cosmetics and agricultural struggle.

There are Thymbra spicata L. (zahter), Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav. (acı kekik) and Thymbra sintenisii Bornm. & Azn. (ak zahter) species, and Thymbra spicata subsp. spicata L. (zahter), Thymbra spicata subsp. intricata (P.H.Davis) R. Morales (güvey kekiği), Thymbra sintenisii subsp. isaurica P.H.Davis (eşek zahteri) and Thymbra sintenisii subsp. sintenisii Bornm.&Azn. (ak zahter) taxa of these genus in Turkey. With this study, the medicinal and aromatic use of Thymbra taxa, spreading in the flora of Turkey, has been investigated in detail based on the literature.

Keywords: Thymbra, Lamiaceae, Zahter, Carvacrol