PJB-2024-12
SIGNIFICANCE OF NUT MICROMORPHOLOGY FOR TAXONOMIC INSIGHTS IN THE GENUS CYPERUS L. (CYPERACEAE)
Handan ŞAPCI SELAMOĞLU
Abstract
The genus Cyperus, comprising approximately 600 species worldwide, stands as the second-largest genera within the Cyperaceae family. The taxonomic classification of Cyperus has posed significant challenges. In our pursuit to address these taxonomic issues, we conducted a comprehensive study on the nut morphology of Cyperus in Turkey. Nuts from eighteen Cyperus taxa were meticulously examined using both light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Our investigation delved into various nut characteristics, including shape, size, color, and surface sculpture. The nut shapes within Cyperus taxa were consistently identified as obovoid and elliptical. Employing SEM, the observed surface ornamentations exhibited a distinct reticulate-tuberculate pattern across Cyperus taxa. The outcomes of this study underscore the distinctive nature of nut characters within the genus Cyperus. The morphological features extracted from our analysis present valuable contributions towards the construction of a determination key tailored for Cyperus species. The refined understanding of nut morphological characters, as gleaned from this study, enhances our ability to delineate and identify various Cyperus species accurately.
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