A Study on Turkish Rhododendron L. (Ericaceae)

Authors: SALİH TERZİOĞLU, NESİME MEREV, RAHİM ANŞİN

Abstract: Some of the Turkish Rhododendron L. taxa need wood anatomical and palynological studies for their certain determination together with morphological studies. Therefore, some of them were studied and a revised list of them is given. New distribution areas of a newly recorded endemic variety of Rhododendron ponticum L. (Rhododendron ponticum L. subsp. ponticum var. heterophyllum Anşin) were determined: A7 Trabzon: Maçka, A8 Rize: Çamlıhemşin and A8 Artvin: Murgul, in addition to the already known A8 Trabzon: Of region. Morphological, wood anatomical and palynological features of very rare white-flowered specimens of Rhododendron ponticum L. were compared to the main taxa of Rhododendron ponticum L., with purplish-pink flowers, and Rhododendron x sochadzeae Charadze & Davlianidze, which has nearly the same colored flowers and a hairy ovary. The specimens of Rhododendron ponticum L.with white flower and a naked ovary, collected from Turkey, were studied for the first time from anatomical and palynological points of view and were determined to be a natural form of Rhododendron ponticum L. (Rhododendron ponticum L. subsp. ponticum forma album (Sweet.) Zab.).

Keywords: Wood Anatomy, Morphology, Palinology, Turkish Rhododendron, Ericaceae

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