A taxonomic revision of Valeriana L. (Caprifoliaceae) in Turkey

In this thesis, I was carried out a taxonomic revision of the genus Valeriana L., which grow in Turkey. In the field studies, the plant samples were collected from different populations of each species, and their habitats investigated and, the samples were observed in the natural environment. In the scope of morphological studies, fruit, leaf, bracteoles and pollen micromorphology of the species were examined by the electron microscope. Pollen morphology was studied with both electron and light microscopy. And later, pollen type, pollen shape, pollen size, exin and intin thickness, colpus width, length, apocolpium index, and halo thickness and exin ornamentation of taxa were determined. All morphological discriminative characters were digitized, and used in the numerical taxonomy studies. The samples collected from the field and the samples in the herbarium were examined in detail, and improved descriptions of the species were given more reliable based on distinguishing characters. The taxa names reviewed according to type materials and original descriptions and made required arrangements with respect to nomenclature. In conclusion, the geographic distribution was updated for all Turkish taxa, and new morphological descriptions of the species were formed and a useful identification key was prepared. As a result of this revision, the number of taxa in Turkey, including 3 endemics was accepted as 12. V. speluncaria var. glabriuscula has been evaluated as synonym of V. speluncaria. Besides, V. oligantha were lectotypified.