A Morphological Study on Endemic Erodium pelargoniiflorum (Geraniaceae), from Turkey

Abstract

Erodium pelargoniiflorum is an endemic species from Turkey and limited information about the native species. Morphological characteristics are investigated on the specimens collected from natural populations from Isparta. Almost all morphological characteristics are expanded and some morphological characteristics are firstly determined in this study. Flower morphology was identified in detail. Fruit is long-beaked 4.3-4.5 cm, stout and adpressed-pilose and sparsely glandular hairy. Mericarp morphology of fruit characters was investigated for importance in taxonomical studies. Also, the mericarp micromorphology and seed micromorphology were determinated. Mericarp size 7-8 mm, mericarps have 2 apical shallow pits (foveoles). Mericarp surface ornamentation is foveate with crowded longer and shorter bristles and short glandular hairy throughout surface but glandular hairy at the start of the pit are longer. Mericarp pit is crowded long glandular hairs. Seed size is 4-5 × 1.5-2 mm, seed type is narrowly ovate, seed surface is ruminate.