Sevil Pehlivan

Skin prick test reactivity in allergic rhinitis patients to airborne pollens

The aim was to investigate the impact of atmospheric pollen in determining allergic rhinitis. It was conducted with 130 patients with allergic rhinitis in three different sites in Eskisehir, Turkey, in 2000–2001, using a gravimetric method with a Durham sampler. Skin prick test results, the symptoms of patients and their findings all confirmed the presence of allergic reactions to pollen allergens in the patients observed. During the period, a total of 47,082 pollen grains/cm2 belonging to 45 taxa were recorded. Of the total pollen grains, 81.0% were arboreal and 18% non-arboreal. The majority of the investigated pollen grains were from Pinaceae, Salix spp., Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae, Cupressaceae and Poaceae. Pollen concentrations reached the highest level in May (54.36%). The pollen allergens provoking severe sensitization were grasscereal mixtures (58.5%), followed by arboreals (33.8%). All patients (100.0%) were sensitive to grass. This study emphasizes the significance of determining the types and concentrations of pollen with a view to comparing changes in highly concentrated allergens.

Pollen morphology of some Turkish endemic Centaurea

Abstract The pollen morphological structures of Turkish endemic species of Centaurea armena Boiss., C. aucherana D. C., C. pyrrhoblephara Boiss., C. fenzlii Reichardt., C. hermannii F. Hermann., C. kilaea Boiss., C. kurdica Reichardt., C. tchihatcheffii Fisch & Mey. have been studied in detail by means of light (LM) and transmission (TEM) microscopes for the first time. LM examinations show that the pollen grains of eight taxa are more or less spheroidal — subprolate, tricolporate, tectate — perforate, microechinate — scabrate, amb triangular and the Jacea-iype is dominant. On the basis of their exine ultrastructure C. pyrrhoblephara, C. tchihatcheffii and C. aucherana seem to resemble the Anthermoid-type, but the other five taxa resemble the Helianthoid-type.

Pollen morphology of some species belonging to Codonoprasum and Allium sections of Allium (Liliaceae-Alliaceae) genus

Pollen morphology of 14 Allium L. species grown in Turkey, that belong to the sections Codonoprasum and Allium, were investigated under LM (light microscopy) and by SEM (scanning electron microscopy). However, the pollens of 5 species were investigated under TEM (transmission electron microscopy). Detailed pollen morphological characteristics are given for Allium in the family on the basis of the results presented here together with data from the literature. The genera Allium homogeneous in both aperture type and exine ornamentation. It is suggested that some palynological characters, such as aperture type and the presence of an operculum, could be of taxonomic value at the section level.

The anatomical and micromorphological characteristics of Salvia vermifolia (Section Aethiopis Bentham, Lamiaceae) from Central Anatolia, Turkey

The gross anatomical features, namely stem, blade and petiole and the micromorphological features, trichome, pollen and nutlet of Salvia vermifolia Hedge & Hub.-Mor. (Sect. Aethiopis Bentham, Lamiaceae) were examined using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). S. vermifolia is a perennial endemic herb growing on igneous and serpentine slopes in Sivas province, Central Anatolia, Turkey. The results obtained from anatomical studies show that the stem is made up of 4–8-layers of collenchyma cells and 1-3-layers chlorenchyma cells. The blade is amphistomatic, bifacial, with 2-3-layered palisade cells on the adaxial. The petiole has three large central bundles and six small subsidiary bundles. Peltate glandular, capitate glandular and non-glandular trichomes are present in S. vermifolia. The peltate glandular trichomes are present in abundance on the calyx and corolla, and capitate glandular trichomes are predominant on the calyx, inflorescence axis, pedicel and stem. The acicular non-glandular trichomes are mainly situated on the calyx, corolla, inflorescence axis and pedicels whereas the floccose non-glandular trichomes are common on both sides of the leaf, inflorescence axis and petiole. The pollen grains are hexacolpate to octacolpate, medium to large (P, polar axis=45.29–62.49 μm; E, equatorial axis=45.32-62.38 μm), oblate-spheroidal to prolate-spheroidal (P/E=0.91–1.02) and their exine ornamentation is bireticulate. The nutlets are 2.70–2.90 mm long and 1.90–2.13 mm wide, brown, ovoid-oblong in their outline, rounded-trigonous in transverse section, and their surface is glabrous and colliculate.

Pollen morphology and systematical contribution of some Onosma (Boraginaceae) taxa distribution in Turkey

In this study, the palynological characteristics and its taxonomic implications of 30 different Onosma L. taxa, which belong to sections Protonosma M. Popov., Podonosma (Boiss.) Gurke. and subsections Haplotricha (Boiss.) Gurke., and Asterotricha (Boiss.) Gurke. of section Onosma were investigated under Light Microscope (LM), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and pollen of four taxa with Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). Pollen grains are mostly heteropolar and trisyncolporate rarely isopolar and tricolporate (O. rostellata and O. orientale), subprolate or prolate to spheroidal and exine tectate-perforate (O. rostellata, O. sericea and O. auriculata) and tectate-imperforate (O. bracteosa). In the conclusion of the study it has been determined that investigated Onosma species have shown three different types of ornamentation, namely scabrate (O. sericea type, O. auriculata type and O. orientale type), rugulate (O. rostellata type) and scabrate–rugulate (O. bracteosa type). It was pointed out that these different types of ornamentation can be used to separate the sections and similar taxa from each other. Pollen grains of O. lycaonica Hub.-Mor., O. bracteosa Hausskn. & Bornm., O. caerulescens Boiss. and O. taurica Willd. var. taurica from subsection Asterotricha have an operculum.