Abstract—The aim of the present study is to contribute to the

classification of the genus Heptaptera using pollen and mericarp

features. This genus is represented by five species in Turkey. The

Heptaptera species, which grow naturally in Turkey, were

investigated comprehensively in terms of fruit anatomy and

palynology. Anatomical and palynological features of Heptaptera

cilicica, Heptaptera anisoptera, Heptaptera anatolica, Heptaptera

triquetra, and Heptaptera syriaca were investigated. Anatomical

characters are very important for distinguishing closely related

species and genera, especially in the family Apiaceae. The anatomy

of Apiaceae fruits varies even among closely related species in the

same genus.

In anatomical studies, cross-sections of fruit have been examined.

Mature mericarps of Heptaptera species were collected from natural

habitats in Turkey. These materials were kept in 70% ethanol for

use in the anatomical studies. Each mature mericarp was rehydrated

and placed in formalin-acetic acid-alcohol (1:1:8) for a minimum of

24 h, and rehydrated materials were embedded into paraffin blocks

following traditional paraffin sectioning methods. Transverse

sections 5-10 µm thick were cut using a Thermo microtome and

stained with saffranin solution. Micrographs were taken using a

Nikon AZ100M microscope.

The pollen morphologies of Heptaptera species from Turkey have

been examined by light (LM) and scanning electron microscope

(SEM). The morphological characters of pollen grains were obtained

by measurements and photographic observations. LM pollen

preparations of the specimens set up according to the Wodehouse

method were examined by using an Olympus BX 51 investigation

microscope. During SEM examination of the pollen, taxonomically

important micro-characters were assessed in distinguishing the taxa.

Dried herbarium materials with flowers were used to obtain pollen.

The pollens were mounted on stubs using double-sided adhesive

tape under a stereo-microscope. For SEM studies, each pollen

sample was coated five times with a 9 Å thick layer of gold by using

a Poleron SC7620 Sputter Coater and scanned with Zeiss a LS-10

SEM at 20 kv accelerating voltage.

Pollen grains of Heptaptera species are radial symmetry and

isopolar. Pollen shape is perprolate or subprolate. Pollens are

tricolpate, aperture is colporate, and surface ornamentation is

rugulate. Colpi length (Clg) is 22-29 μm, colpi width (Clt) is 6-18

μm.

Exine thickness ranges from 0.3 μm to 2 μm. Exine is tektat.

Ectexine is thicker than endexine. Intine thickness ranges from 0.3

to 1.5 μm. Fruit is dorsally compressed except for H. syriaca, and

the mericarps of the H. syriaca are ventrally compressed. H.

*Yasemin GÜRBÜZ, and Ahmet DURAN, Department of Biology, Faculty

of Science, Selçuk University, Turkey

triquetra and H. syriaca have homomorphic mericarps, and H.

cilicica, H. anatolica, and H. anisoptera have heteromorphic

mericarps. Primary ribs are aliform or poorly developed wings.

Wings are clearly undulate or straight. In the mature mericarp of all

Heptaptera taxa observed, the characters of vittae are different from

each other at the species level. In addition, vascular bundles in the

mesocarps are located below each primary rib and surrounded by

parenchyma cells.

Keywords—Heptaptera, pollen, Oenantheae, Umbelliferae.

I. INTRODUCTION

The family Apiaceae includes approximately 450 genera

and 3700 species [1]. The Asian countries with the greatest

Apiaceae diversity are China, Turkey, Iran, Russia, and

Kazakhstan. Among these countries, Asiatic Turkey has the

highest concentration of species-level Umbelliferae diversity

in Asia, and probably in the world [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Many

members of the Apiaceae family are readily characterized by

umbellate inflorescences, specialized fruits consisting of two

mericarps (with one-seed) suspended from a split central

column (carpophore), and numerous, minute epigynous

flowers. The Apiaceae family is represented by 486 species of

104 genera in Turkey. These species are 37% endemic for

Turkey [8]. In Turkey, with a considerably smaller area than

Asia countries, Apiaceae occupies second place in our list

(486 species in 104 genera) [2, 8]. There are four endemic

genera in Turkey: Aegokeras Raf., Ekimia H.Duman,

Microsciadium Boiss. and Crenosciadium Boiss. & Heldr.

The number of endemic species is high; there are 182 species

in 42 genera [2, 8, 9]. Heptaptera Marg. & Reut. is especially

widespread in Southeastern Anatolia, Thrace, the

Mediterranean and Aegean regions of Turkey. The genus is

distributed in Bulgaria, Macedonia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and

Jordan. The genus Heptaptera is represented by 10 species in

the world and 4 species in Flora of Turkey. The Turkish

name of Heptaptera, “çakşır” is used in the Turkey Plant List

(Vascular Plants) [9]. According to our study results,

Petroedmondia syriaca (Boiss.) Tamamsch. was transferred

to Heptaptera genus as Heptaptera syriaca (Fig. 1). Based on

recent arrangements the Heptaptera genus is represented by

five species in Turkey and 11 species in the world.

Yasemin GÜRBÜZ, and Ahmet DURAN

Comparative Studies Based on Fruit Anatomy and

Palynology of the Genus Heptaptera (Apiaceae) in

Turkey

5th International Conference on Agriculture, Environment and Biological Sciences (ICAEBS-16) April 28-29, 2016 Pattaya (Thailand)

http://dx.doi.org/10.17758/IAAST.A0416022 14

Fig. 1. General view of Heptaptera syriaca.

II. MATERIALS AND METHODS

During field trips between the 2012 and 2013 vegetation

periods, all specimens belonging to the genus Heptaptera

were collected different localities in Turkey. The Heptaptera

species, which naturally grows in Turkey, was investigated

comprehensively in terms of fruit anatomy and palynology.

Anatomical and palynological features of Heptaptera cilicica,

Heptaptera anisoptera, Heptaptera anatolica, Heptaptera

triquetra, and Heptaptera syriaca were investigated.

A. Fruit Anatomy

In anatomical studies, cross-sections of fruit have been

examined. Mature mericarps of Heptaptera species were

collected from natural habitats in Turkey. These materials

were kept in 70% ethanol for use in anatomical studies. Each

mature mericarp was rehydrated and placed in formalin-

acetic acid-alcohol (1:1:8) for a minimum of 24 h, and

rehydrated materials were embedded into paraffin blocks

following traditional paraffin sectioning methods. Transverse

sections about 5-10 µm thick were cut using a Thermo

microtome, and stained with saffranin solution. Micrographs

were taken using a Nikon AZ100M microscope.

B. Palynology

Palynological investigations were conducted with both light

microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). For

light microscope studies, the pollen slides were prepared by

using the Wodehouse technique [10]. The descriptive

terminology in Punt et al. was employed [11]. For shape

classes (P/E), the definitions of Nilsson and Praglowski were

used [12]. For SEM investigations, pollen grains were

directly mounted on prepared stubs and coated with gold for

SEM studies. Photographs were taken with a Zeiss LS-10

after being coated with a Poleron SC7620 Sputter Coater in

SEM studies.

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Heptaptera species, which naturally grows in Turkey, were

investigated with both light microscope and scanning electon

microscope (SEM). All species of pollen were photographed

with 10 x 4 magnification in the light microscope. When

these images are analyzed, the Heptaptera syriaca pollens

were identified as the subprolate type, while in other species

the pollens were identified as perprolate. Light microscopy

data support the taxonomic differences of the five Heptaptera

species in Turkey. However, according to the data between

the pollen ornamentation of Heptaptera species there are no

extreme differences. Also, the pollens of Heptaptera species

were investigated in the scanning electron microscope (SEM).

According to the SEM photographs of Heptaptera species,

pollen surface ornamentations are rugulate-striate at H.

cilicica, whereas other species were identified as rugulate

(Figs. 2-3).

Fig. 2. SEMs generally shape of pollen grains. a- Heptaptera

syriaca, b- H. triquetra.

5th International Conference on Agriculture, Environment and Biological Sciences (ICAEBS-16) April 28-29, 2016 Pattaya (Thailand)

http://dx.doi.org/10.17758/IAAST.A0416022 15

Fig. 3. SEMs generally shape of pollen grains. a- Heptaptera

anisoptera, b- H. cilicica, c- H. anatolica.

The Turkish Heptaptera taxa can be separated into two

groups according to the characteristics of their fruit wings

(homomorphic or heteromorphic). The first group (H. syriaca

and H. triquetra) has homomorphic fruit. The second group

(H. cilicica, H. anatolica, and H. anisoptera) has

heteromorphic fruit. H. anisoptera and H. syriaca have

double row circular vittae, but their morphological characters

differ from each other. Although H. cilicica and H. triquetra

are close to each other in terms of morphological features,

their anatomical characteristics are different. H. syriaca has

unusual anatomical characteristics such as regularly double

row circular vittae (Fig. 4).

Fig. 4. General view of mericarp cross-section. a- Heptaptera

syriaca b- H. anisoptera, c- H. anatolica, d- H. cilicica, e- H.

triquetra, f- H. triquetra.

As a consequence fruit anatomical characteristics are important

for Heptaptera taxonomy and help clarify the differences between

the species.

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