PALYNOMORPHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL CHARACTERS OF THE SECTION<i> MESOCENTRON</i> FROM THE GENUS<i> CENTAUREA</i> (ASTERACEAE)

Palynomophological and anatomical characters of the section Mesocentron (Asteraceae) from T & uuml;rkiye was investigated and compared using microscopically techniques. The studied taxa have radially symmetrical, monad, isopolar, sometimes heteropolar, and generally 3-colporate, occasionally 4-colporate pollen grains. Only prolate pollen shaped pollen grains were observed in all of the studied species. While the colpus and porus morphology of pollen grains were the same in studied taxa the density of spinule on the pollen were changeable. It was observed that the basic anatomical structures of the sections obtained from the trunk anatomy were the same, but it was determined that the cellular sizes differed significantly between species. It has been emphasized that the combined use of pollen and anatomical characters may be effective in distinguishing these species.