Sadık Erik

Astragalus pseudopinetorum (Fabaceae), a New Species from Turkey

Astragalus pseudopinetorum Taeb, Özüdoğru & Erik sp. nova (Fabaceae), endemic to the Hakkâri province of E Turkey, is described and illustrated. It belongs to A. sect. Caprini and is morphologically related to A. kamelinii. A characteristic feature is the whole plant being glabrous, with just a few scattered white hairs on the rachis and pedicels.

Inter-population variability in seed dormancy, seed mass and germination in Helianthemum salicifolium (Cistaceae), a hard-seeded annual herb

Many plant traits show variability within species in response to ecological gradients. In this study, we examined the variability in seed traits among ten populations of Helianthemum salicifolium (L.) Miller in Anatolia, Turkey. Since the Anatolian Peninsula has a geographic structure exhibiting longitudinal, elevational and climatic gradients, we hypothesized that seed dormancy, seed mass and germination show inter-population variability. We also postulated that seed traits are correlated to climatic and geographic characteristics of the populations. Since H. salicifolium is a species with a hard seed coat, we conducted germination experiments using heat shock and mechanical scarification. The germination percentage was improved significantly by mechanical scarification but remained unaltered by heat shock treatments in all sampled populations. As expected, seed traits exhibited substantial variation among the populations. We found no association between germination traits (dormancy level and germination rate in different treatments) and environmental variables. By contrast, seed mass showed an elevational/longitudinal/climatic pattern: Populations in cooler and higher-elevation areas had larger seed mass. However, when the influence of climate was controlled, the geographic location became an important factor affecting seed mass. We conclude that seed mass variation among populations of H. salicifolium in Anatolia is shaped by the climate at the regional scale, but at the same time, geographically closer populations exhibit more similarity in seed mass.

Comparative morphological, palynological and anatomical characteristics of Turkish rare endemics Helianthemum germanicopolitanum and Helianthemum antitauricum (Cistaceae)

The genus Helianthemum Mill. includes 12 annual or perennial species in the Flora of Turkey, four of which are endemic. In this study, morphological, micromorphological, anatomical and palynological characteristics of the rare endemic H.germanicopolitanum Bornm. and H. antitauricum P.H. Davis & Coode are studied for the first time. H. germanicopolitanum is grown on chalky and limestone slopes in Çankırı province. H. antitauricum is grown on rocky limestone slopes in Adana and Kayseri provinces. In morphological studies, detailed descriptions of these species and characteristic features are given. Besides, pollen and seed morphology are studied by SEM. The pollen grains of both species are tricolporate, medium sized and prolate-spheroidal. Exine ornamentation is identified as perforate under LM and striate-perforate under SEM. The seed characteristics clearly appear to have taxonomic significance. The seed coat of H. germanicopolitanum characterized by the rugulate–verrucate ornamentation clearly differs from that of H. antitauricum by striate. Finally, anatomical research characters are studied on H. germanicopolitanum and H. antitauricum samples.