Pollen and Achene Morphology of Some Cyanus L. Taxa (Asteraceae), Turkey

Cyanus is a genus of family Asteraceae. 20 taxa belonging to Cyanus distributes in Turkey and 9 of them are endemics. In this study, pollen morphology and achene micro and macro morphology of 4 taxa belonging to Cyanus (C. depressus, C. triumfettii, C. pichleri subsp. pichleri, C. lanigerus) were investigated. The aim of the study was to determine taxonomic value of pollen and achene micro characteristic. Pollen grains of Cyanus taxa observed as isopolar, radially symmetric, with tricolporate aperture and subprolate pollen shape. Polar axis range between 36-55.8 μm while equatorial axis between 27.8-47 μm. C. lanigerus pollen measured as biggest pollen wile C. depressus pollen is the smallest. Pollen surface ornamentation determined as scabrate. The achene shape was observed as ovoid and oblong in studied taxa. SEM results showed that the achene surface had a striate-psilate sculpture and was depressed on both lateral surfaces, without rare hairs. The Achene length (4-5mm), width (1.6-2.4 mm) and pappus length (1-6.4 mm) ranges differed significantly. C. triumfettii achene determined as smallest (4.0 mm) in length with the smallest (1.1 mm) pappus while C. lanigerus were longest (5.0 mm) achene with smallest (1.0 mm) pappus. The micro characters like as polar axis, equatorial axis, pollen shape, pollen surface ornamentation, intine and exine thickness, achene length, pappus length, achene surface ornamentation determined as important features for systematics of taxa