Morphological and palynological studies on some species of Linum L. (Linaceae) section Linum

In this thesis, detailed morphological and palynological data of L. bienne Mill., L. usitatissimum L., L. tmoleum Boiss., L. aroanium Boiss. & Orph., L. nervosum Waldst & Kit. and L. decumbens Desf. with clavate – filiform stigma from Linum L. section Linum were presented. Qualitative and quantitative characteristics were used for morphological evaluation of the species. The descriptions of the specimens examined were made, and their synonyms, type localities, flowering times, habitats, phytogeographical regions, etymology with distributions in the World and Turkey were established. The photographs of the plants in their natural habitats, as well as their hand drawings were included. L. decumbens which is a new record for the flora of Turkey was evaluated in this group, and a new identification key was provided for it. In palynological studies, pollen morphology of 5 species was examined by applying Wodehouse method and Erdtman's acetolysis method. Pollen grains are trizonocolpate, hexacolpate or polypantocolpate, oblate – spheroidal or suboblate in shape, and medium to large in size. The exine of short-styled flowers is mostly monomorphic, and consists of only gemmae, while it is dimorphic and consists of clavae and baculae in the long-styled ones. Using 8 pollen characters of these species, Canonical Distribution Function Analysis (CDF) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) tests were performed. The relationship between the species, even between the long- and short-styled plants within the same species was compared palynologically. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used for detailed surface micromorphological examination, and the accompanying micrographs were provided. Key words: Linaceae, Linum, morphology, palynology, SEM, PCA