Melahat Ozcan

Leaf anatomy as an additional taxonomy tool for 18 taxa of Matricaria L. and Tripleurospermum Sch. Bip. (Anthemideae-Asteraceae) in Turkey

This study concerns the evaluation of leaf anatomical characteristics of the closely related genera Matricaria (4 taxa) and Tripleurospermum (14 endemic taxa, 15 accessions) in Turkey using cluster analysis (CA) and principal component analysis (PCA). All taxa have the same basic leaf structure composed of lower and upper epidermis including anomocytic or anomocytic-anisocytic stomata, parenchymatic mesophyll, and vascular bundle. Statistically significant differences based on ploidy level have been found without generic delimitation. The differences mainly concern stomatal length and the relative size of the vascular bundle. These anatomical characters can be used to distinguish diploid from polyploid taxa of the genera.

Karyotype analysis of some Lathyrus L. taxa (Fabaceae) from north-eastern Anatolia

Abstract In the study, some Lathyrus L. taxa naturally growing in the northeastern Anatolia were investigated cytotaxonomically. Chromosome numbers and karyotypes of eight taxa were investigated by using karyological and numeric taxonomical techniques. The chromosome numbers of all these diploid taxa found as 2n= 14. The results were considered in conjunction with the karyological literature data.

Leaf anatomical notes on Cirsium Miller (Asteraceae, Carduoideae) from Turkey

Here, we describe the leaf anatomical characters of 26 Cirsium taxa (33 accessions) native to the northeast region of Turkey, with the aim of evaluating their taxonomic significance within the taxa. Leaf anatomies of all taxa were characterized and compared using cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling analysis. The transverse sections of the leaves showed various numbers of vascular bundles and accessory bundles. In addition, significant differentiations were observed in the midrib and lamina thickness, the height and width of vascular bundle, and number of stomata, and epidermal cell wall patterns in the abaxial and adaxial surfaces among the taxa. These results demonstrate that the compared anatomical characters among taxa are partly in accordance with their sectional delimitation in the Flora of Turkey. However, our data suggest that some taxonomic re-arrangements might be necessary. Based on its anatomy, we propose that the Cirsium taxa can be treated as pioneers. Some ecological interpretations are also made.

Türkiye Florası İçin Yabancı Yeni Bir Tür Olan Tradescantia fluminensis’in Yaprak ve Gövde Anatomisine Katkılar

Tradescantia fluminensis Vell. (Commelinaceae) has been recorded as a new naturalised alien species for the flora of Turkey from NE Anatolia. Its description, detailed leaf and stem anatomical properties, measurements, and photographs are presented in this paper. It was observed that the stems have a primary structure, the central cylinder comprises 2 concentric rings of closed collateral vascular bundles, and the leaves are bifacial and hypostomatic, with tetracytic stomata cells. In addition, it was determined that the thickness of the leaf lamina is 326 ± 4.79 µm and average of stomatal length and stomatal index in the abaxial surface of the leaf is 51.70 ± 0.33 µm and 12.54 ± 1.33, respectively.