INVESTIGATION OF THE SEED STRUCTURES OF CONVOLVULUS L. TAXA OF ESKİŞEHİR

Abstract

Convolvulaceae (Sarmaşıkgiller) family has 4 species and 40 species in our country. It is grown as an ornamental plant, there are types used as food. Convolvulus L. collected from the research area was collected in Eskişehir in 2018-2019 in May and July, which are the flowering months. Convolvulus L. species are herbaceous or very small bushy plants. In Convolvulus L. members, the fruit is a capsule and the shape of the fruit can be ovoid, subglobose or ellipsoid acuminate. Fruits have the same indumentum properties as the ovary. The base of the stylus is permanent in some taxa and the way the capsule opens is loculicidal. The capsule is usually 2-chambered and contains 3 corners and 4 seeds. Seed surface can be smooth, web or tuberculated. Although seeds contain many different taxonomic characters, there are still some restrictions on the use of these characters in classifying Convolvulus L. taxa, especially herbarium samples. Since most of the herbarium specimens collected to date have been collected during the flowering and early fruit stages, it is not possible to detect mature seed characters. Currently, the seed and capsule properties of many Convolvulus L. taxa in the world are not clearly known. Convolvulus L. species collected in Eskişehir are C. cantabrica, C. lineatus, C. compactus, C. arvensis, C. galaticus, C. betonicifolius and C. holosericeus. The shape of the seeds among the taxa examined varies greatly. Seed shapes of Convolvulus taxa examined are primidal, pear, oval and elliptical. Seed surfaces are seen as leathery and velvety. Seed sizes range from 1.5–4.5 × 1.5–2.5 (mm). Seed color was observed as dark and light brown and yellowish brown. While some types of feathers are not visible on the surface of the seeds, some types of feathers are present.