An investigation of dye plants and their colourant substances in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey

Abstract

Plants traditionally used to dye carpets and woven matting in the eastern Mediterranean region were investigated. The survey was carried out in Kadirli, Feke, Aladag, the surrounding villages of Adana, and in Osmaniye (Turkey). According to the survey results, 37 species of plants belonging to 29 families were used in natural dye production. The total dye contents of collected plants ranged from 1.5% to 10.0%. Mordants and dyes obtained from some of these plants were used to treat wool yarn and the yarn's dyed properties were tested. Some of the plants were also examined in terms of cultivation and fifteen were transferred to a Dye Plants Collection Garden. They were Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. ssp. antitaurica Yalt., Arctium minus ssp. pubens (Bab.) Arenes, Chrysanthemum segetum L., Cistus creticus L., Cotinus coggygria Scop., Datisca cannabina L., Galium verum ssp. glabrescens Ehrend., Isatis tinctoria ssp. tomentella (Boiss. & Balansa) P.H.Davis, Melissa officinalis ssp. inodora Bornm., Mentha longifolia (L.) Huds. ssp. longifolia, Reseda lutea var. lutea L., Rhamnus oleoides ssp. graecus (Boiss. & Reut.) Holmboe, Rhus coriaria L., Rubia tinctorum L., and Rumex patientia L. © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2004, 146, 71–77.