VISUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME SPECIES BELONGING TO THE FAMILY OF LAMIACEAE IN THE LAKE DISTRICT

Most members of Lamiaceae family have ostentatious leaves and flowers and angular stems. They are also rich in essential oils content. Thus, they are used in wide area such as landscape, medicinal, phermautical, food, cosmetics and perfumery. However, many species of this family, represented almost 574 species in Turkey, are not well known. In this study, 4 taxa of Lamiaceae family that is noticed and studied in detail around the world but have not wide using area in Turkey, has been selected as study material. These species are Ajuga orientalis, Ajuga chamaepitys subsp. chia var. chia, Teucrium chamaedrys subsp. chamaedrys and Teucrium polium. The aim of the study is that these species of aesthetic and functional properties has been taken into consideration in landscape architecture. To determine aesthetic and functional properties of these species, length of plant, the number of leaves, the number of flowers, flower size and the diameter of stem was be measured as visual characteristics thus percentage of living have been calculated. To determine phenological properties, beginning of vegetation, end of vegetation flowering time, the color of flowers have been observed. The study showed that these species are suitable for use in landscape design in terms of both aesthetic and visual characteristics.