Systematic importance of achene macro-micromorphological characteristics in selected species of the genera Crupina, Jurinea, and Klasea (Asteraceae) from Turkey.

Abstract

This study focuses on the macro-micromorphological achene characteristics of 12 species of the genera Crupina, Jurinea, and Klasea (Asteraceae) using light microscopy and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphological characteristics of the achenes, including shape, size, color, and surface pattern of achene, and hair structure, length, and color of pappus are studied. The results show that the achene length is between 3 and 8 mm, and its width is between 1 and 4 mm. Pappus is 4-15 mm long and persistent for seven species. SEM analysis shows four different achene surface patterns for the studied species: smooth, undulate, smooth-undulate, and undulate-ruminate. The genus Crupina has darkly colored achenes with yellow, dense firm hairs, and the achene surface pattern is smooth. Triangular and sulcate achenes seem to characteristic for the genus Jurinea. The genus Klasea distinguished from the remaining species studied with its straw-colored and deciduous pappus. Macro-micromorphological characteristics provide effective tools for both generic and intrageneric differentiation for the studied species.