Revision of Genus carduus L. (Asteraceae, Cardueae) distributed in Turkey

This study includes the revision of the species of genus Carduus (Asteraceae, Cardueae) distributed in Turkey. General morphology, macro and micro-morphology of cypsela, palynology, molecular taxonomy of species were examined. The number of the genus Carduus distributed in Turkey was known with 16 species (28 taxa) before this study. Due to showing no distribution in Turkey, C. nutans subsp. taygaetus was omitted from the Turkish Carduus taxa. C. pycnocephalus subsp. breviphyllarius regarded as synonym of the C. pycnocephalus subsp. cinereus. C. lanuginosus was rearranged and the subsp. kotshyii was accepted at subspecies level. C. transcaspicus subsp. macrocephalus was given as a new record for the Flora of Turkey. Cypsela surface properties of the genus were thoroughly examined under stereo microscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Shapes of cypsela were determined as oblanceolate, narrowly obovate, narrowly oblong and oblong. Surface ornamentations were in five different types as scalariform, scalariform-ribbed, scrobiculate-ribbed, scrobiculate and scrobiculate-foveolate. The pollen shapes of the genus are determined as prolate-spheroidal, oblate-spheroidal and suboblate by palynological analyzes. In addition, tricolporate apertures was observed in all pollen grains. The ITS gene regions located in nuclear ribosomal DNA of species were determined by the molecular systematic analyzes. UPGMA, Neighbour Joining and Parsimony analyzes were performed and phylogenetic relationships of the species were investigated. As a result of this study it was determined that the genus Carduus is represented by 17 species (28taxa) in Turkey.