Research Information System
Acta Biologica Turcica, vol.36, no.1, pp.1-63, 2023 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
In this study, fruits (ripe disseminules) of 22 taxa of the genus Gundelia defined
in the world were studied. Fifteen of these species are endemic to Turkey, there is 1
endemic species in Iran and 1 endemic species in Armenia. For the first time, fruit (ripe
disseminule) shapes, macro and micromorphological characters of all species were
compared in detail. While showing the shapes of the fruit (ripe disseminule) of each
species, 25 different fruit (ripe disseminule) were selected considering all variations. In the
micromorphological studies, the fruit (ripe disseminule) surface of the genus was studied
for the first time in the scanning electron microscope (SEM). While the fruit (ripe
disseminule) base and middle surfaces of the genus are rugose, striate, reticulate, and
scalariform; the spines show striate and ruminate ornamentations. Anomocytic type
stomata were observed for the first time in the spins of all taxa examined. No stomata was
found in the reduced structure (pappus) in all of the members of the Asteraceae family. On
the other hand, the presence of stomata was detected in the reduced structure spines of
Gundelia genus. According to the morphological and micromorphological characters
obtained, G. vitekii and G. tenuisecta; G. microcephala and G. purpurascens, and G. dersim
with G. armata taxa were found to be very close to each other. In addition; A dendrogram is
constructed as a result of the cluster analysis of the examined taxa of Gundelia based on the
variation of fruit (ripe disseminule) characters in 22 taxa. The average weight of seeds of
each species is given (25 variations). The fruit (ripe disseminule) details, general views and
synflorescence flowers of all the Gundelia taxa in the world are given together for the first
time. Also, a dichotomous key is provided first time for the identification of the examined
species based on fruit (ripe disseminule) characters.