Morphological, molecular and palynological investigation of three different hybrids belonging to the genus cirsium mill

The genus Cirsium Mill. is divided into three sections in Turkey: Cirsium, Epitrachys DC., and Cephalonoplos (Necker) DC. In this study, three hybrids formed between five species in the Epitrachys section were described for the first time and detailed morphological, molecular and palynological analyses were performed on the hybrids. These hybrids and their parents are the following: C. × giresunicum Yıldız, Arabacı & Dirmenci nothosp. nov. (C. poluninii Davis & Parris × C. trachylepis Boiss.), C. × ovitense Yıldız, Dirmenci & Arabacı nothosp. nov. (C. macrobotrys (K.Koch) Boiss. × C. vulgare (Savi) Ten.), C. × egribeliense Yıldız, Dirmenci & Arabacı nothosp. nov. (C. cephalotes Boiss. × C. trachylepis Boiss.). Morphologically, various characters such as life form, capitulum and papus size were examined, and distinctive and similar characteristics of the hybrids were determined. For example; C. × giresunicum resembles C. poluninii in stem characteristics, C. trachylepis in fillari characteristics. C. × ovitense is among its parents in terms of number of involucral leaves and papus length. C. × egribeliense is similar to C. trachylepis in terms of capitulum characteristics and to C. cephalotes in terms of stem color and fillari characteristics. In molecular studies, the ITS and ETS regions of nrDNA were amplified by PCR and phylogenetic trees were given. It was determined that the hybrids examined showed polymorphic regions, and the hybrid with the highest polymorphic region according to ITS sequences was C. × ovitense, and C. × giresunicum according to ETS sequences. In palynological studies, pollen grains were examined using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy and detailed measurements were made. The size of pollen grains was found to be on average between their parents in C. × giresunicum and C. × ovitense and smaller in C. × egribeliense compared to their parents.