Ballakayati’nin (Erbil - Kuzey Irak) Yabani Gıda Bitkileri Hakkında Geleneksel Bilgiler

This study purposes to identify wild plants used for food purposes by native people of Ballakayati district of (Erbil-North Iraq), and to determine the vernacular names and the uses of those plants. The study was carried out approximately for 3 years between 2016-2018. During this period of time, 62 taxa were collected. In the literature review of the plants used in this study, 59 taxa were found to be used for food purposes while three plants were not found in the literature records. Vernacular names differ due to the local dialects in Iraq. Local peoples benefit from the wild plants growing in their districts. In this area, it was found that locals use 62 plants from 23 families for food purposes. The most considerable food plants were Juglans regia L., Allium ampeloprasum L., Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A.Webb. Moreover, plants used for food purposes are dried and stored for using them in winter. The food use of Carduus pycnocephalus L., Smyrnium cordifolium Boiss., Epilobium hirsutum L. that we found in this area were recorded for the first time. Different using forms of those plants were observed in this study. In Iraq, the number of ethnobotanical studies is ever increasing. But traditional uses of many wild food plants have not been recorded yet. In terms of food security, the adverse effects that may arise due to the use of wild plant taxa with-out sufficient knowledge must be reported to the local people.