Pollen morphology of Silene L. (Caryophyllaceae) from Turkey

Morphology of pollen grains of 13 species (3 of which are endemics inTurkey) belonging to nine sections of the genus Silene L., (Caryophyllaceae),collected from Northwest Anatolia in Turkey, was investigated using light,scanning electron (SEM) and projecting screen scale microscopy. The pollengrains were pantoporate, spheroidal and semitectate with perforations,spinulose exine. S. rhynchocarpa Boiss., with highest number and S. otites (L.)Wibel with lowest number of pores have the right taxonomical positions. Thetaxonomical position of S. compacta Fischer and S. dichotoma Ehrh. subsp.sibthorpiana (Reichb) Reich., which have flowers forming heads and aremonochasial is disputed because they have lower pore number in relation tothe other taxa, although they have other phylogenetically advancedcharacteristics.