Morphological character analysis in Turkish Micromeria Benth. (Lamiaceae) species with a numerical taxonomic study

Authors: TURAN ARABACI, TUNCAY DİRMENCİ, FERHAT CELEP

Abstract: As an initial part of a revisional study based on the genus Micromeria Benth. (Lamiaceae), extensive field studies, herbarium and literature surveys, and multivariate analysis have been conducted. Recently, many morphological and molecular studies have been conducted on the genus Micromeria and related genera. Consequently, the generic boundaries of Micromeria have dramatically changed. Therefore, a morphometric analysis was carried out on Turkish Micromeria s.l. species, belonging to sect. Micromeria, sect. Cymularia Boiss., and sect. Pseudomelissa Benth., 2 Clinopodium L. species, and 2 Mentha L. species in order to understand their taxonomic relationship. For morphometric analysis, 27 morphological characters and their states were investigated by means of MVSP software. Our results supported previous molecular studies. The members of the sect. Pseudomelissa should be transferred to the genus Clinopodium. Turkish Micromeria species are now represented by 8 species belonging to sect. Micromeria and sect. Cymularia. In addition, the taxonomic position of Micromeria cymuligera Boiss. & Hausskn. (sect. Cymularia) is discussed. The most important diagnostic characters of the Micromeria species such as leaf and calyx are illustrated.

Keywords: Clinopodium, Cymularia, Labiatae, Micromeria, morphology, Pseudomelissa, taxonomy

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