Botanical and chemical properties of some hawthorn (Crataegus L. spp.) taxa natural distributed in western Anatolia

In this study, botanıcal and chemıcal propertıes of Howthorn (Crataegus L. spp.) taxa which natural spread in the western Anatolia, were determined. Data were obtained from 13 experimental sites that situated İzmit, Sakarya, Balıkesir, İzmir, Kütahya, Muğla and Isparta province where most distribution are exist of howthorn in the western Anatolia. In the result of field studies that were conducted between 2010 and 2014, totally 7 howthorn taxa were found. Lenght, width, stalk and lobe number of leaves; color, number and flowering periods of flowers and width, lenght, fruit seed weight and number of fruits were calculated and results were given. According to results, the largest taxon for leaf and petiole is Crateagus pentagyna (7 cm lenght, 3,8 cm widht and stalk is 3 cm). The smallest taxon for leaf is C. monogyna var. lasiocarpa ( 0,8 cm lenght and 1,1 cm widht). C. pentagyna subsp. pentagyna is producing a maximum of flowers in a flower taxa installation up to 50, and C. azarolus has at least the 3. Most early blooming taxa are C. monogyna var. monogyna and C. pentagyna subsp. pentagyna by in April, and also flowers of C. tanacetifolia opened by July at the latest. C. orientalis subsp. orientalis has the biggest fruit (2,8 cm lenght and 2,5 cm widht). C. tanacetifolia has the biggest fruit (6,78 g) and the lighest is C. monogyna var. monogyna (0,26 g).It is determined in experimental sites; howthorn is spreading in sparse, opening in forest, steep, rocky slopes and edge of fields. Productivity of flower and fruit occur in South and south-west aspects. The slopes of selected experimental sites vary between 5% and 35 %. It determined example areas that howthorn spread between 250 and 2131 meters altitude. Example areas become significant difference in elevation and also depending on the difference in elevation; the morphological characteristics and chemical composition of taxa are varied.Leaf and flower samples were dried in room temperature for determining to volatile contents of howthorn taxa and these contents were determined by GC-MS in Central Laboratory of Suleyman Demirel University. As result of analyses, totally 83 volatile components belonging to 7 howthorn taxa were determined. The most highest values were determined for Benzaldehyde (82,54%), Butyraldehyde (38,27%) and (E)2-Hexenal (21,67%). The humidity values of cores of fruit samples which were collected in ripping time of howthorn fruits were determined and oil acid components were found in GC-FID by using standard oil acid mixture. The humidity values are varied between 14,49% and 36,33%. 10 oil acid components were determined belonging to 7 taxa and Linoleic (64,23%), Oleic (39,36%) and Palmitic (8,16%) acid components were founds as the highest respectively.