Seed morphology and genome size in two Tuscan Crocus (Iridaceae) endemics: C. etruscus and C. ilvensis

Recent taxonomic investigation led to the segregation of Crocus ilvensis Peruzzi & Carta, a narrow endemic to Elba Island (Tuscan Archipelago, Central Italy), from C. etruscus Parl., endemic to continental Tuscany. The aim of this study is to produce further basic systematic data aimed comparing these taxa by means of seed morphological features and genome size. Although seed macro-morphology is very similar, seed surface microstructure, seed mass, seed dimensions and genome size differ between the two studied species.