SOIL AND PLANT RELATIONS OF SOME ORNITHOGALUM (ENDEMIC/NON ENDEMIC) SPECIES

The study was carried out to determine the soil properties of the Ornithogalum L. species in the West Mediterranean Region of Turkey and their effects on plant morphology. Plant and soil samples concerning species Ornithogalum umbellatum L., O. oligophyllum E.D. Clarke, O. narbonense L., O. pyrenaicum L., O. lanceolatum Labill., O. pamphylicum (endemic) O.D. Dusen & Sumbul, O. montanum Cirillo, O. armeniacum Baker, O. neurostegium Boiss. & Blanche, O. orthophylum Ten. and O. chetikianum (endemic) Uysal, Ertugrul & Dural were collected from 32 different populations between March and June in 2012. The soils of the plant taxa were textured with sandy loam, loam, silty loam, and sandy clay loam; their EC values were in the range 71-741 mhos cm(-1); and their pH values varied between 6.9 and 8.3. The highest organic matter content was in O. orthophylum, whereas the lowest value was in O. chetikianum (endemic) and O. pamphylicum (endemic). According to the means, the highest values of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium were determined in the soil samples belonging to O. lanceolatum (106.0 mg kg(-1)), O. lanceolatum (657.5 mg kg(-1)), O. montanum (6552 mg kg(-1)) and O. pyrenaicum (746.8 mg kg- 1), respectively.