Pollen and seed morphology of Acanthophyllum C. A. Mey (Caryophyllaceae) species distributed in Turkey

Seed morphology and palynology of the taxa belonging to the genus Acanthophyllum C. A. Mey. (Caryophyllaceae) spreading in Turkey investigated in this study. These taxa are A.acerosum Sosn., A. microcephalum Boiss., A. mucronatum C. A. Mey., A. oppositiflorum Aytaç, and A. verticillatum C. A. Mey. Howewer A. oppositiflorum is endemic for Turkey. Pollen slides were prepared according to the method of acetolysis. Morphological features of the pollen grains were determined with light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM), and then microphotographs of pollens were taken. Identified characters are presented in the table. The result of the palynological researches of the genus Acanthophyllum C. A. Mey. the pollen are isopolar and radially symmetrical, oblate-spheroidal or prolate-spheroidal, pantoporate, their pores have conical spinules on operculum. Exine thickness, exine ornamentation, pore numbers and diameter, sculpturevary between Acanthophyllum species. While statistical significance was determined by ANOVA test in SPSS package program, significance among the groups was found by multiple comparison tests. According to the result of cluster analysis, a dendogram was formed. Morphological features of the seeds were determined with stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) and then microphotographs of seed were taken. Identified characters are presented in the table. The seeds of Acanthophyllum were characterised by obovate or oblong seed shape. The largest seeds are found in A. acerosum (2,45 mm in length and 1,16 mm in width). The smallest seeds are found in A. verticillatum (1,61 mm in length and 0,84 mm in width). Seeds surface of Acanthophyllum species are fine tuberculate arranged with elongate or polygonal cells like jigsaw puzzle. The shape of suture is sinuous, undulate or dentate. The colour of seed is reddish-brown or yellowish-brown. The radicle is on the one side of each seed and just out beyond the hilar notch. Number of suture points per plate, colour of seeds, testa cell shapeandsuture shape are important characters in differentiating Acanthophyllum species. According to the results of this research, the pollen and seed morphology definitions are established for each taxon.