Significance of fruit and seed morphology in current taxonomy of the genus Iberis L. (Brassicaceae) in Turkey

Fruit and seed morphology of 10 taxa of Iberis (Brassicaceae) from Turkey were investigated with stereo microscopy (SM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), in order to understand and check their diagnostic significance at generic and spesific level. Fruits and seeds of Iberis species were photographed and examined to evaluate different characteristics including fruit size, shape, color, indumentum, surface ornamentation, style length, sinus width, wing width, septum length, and also seed size, shape, color, surface ornamentation, cell types and anticlinal and periclinal cell wall features. SM photographs of both immature and mature fruits of the species are provided for the first time. Cluster analysis and principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) were performed to reveal similarities between related taxa in terms of seed and fruit morphology. According to fruit morphology, the Iberis taxa in Turkey are divided into three main groups, particularly characterized by fruit shape (ovate, ovate‐obovate or ovate‐orbicular). Style length, which is one of the most important diagnostic features of some Iberis taxa were also investigated. Three types of seed shapes were found: inequilateral obovate, broadly obovate and inequilateral elliptic. The fruit size limits of I. simplex were expanded. The cluster analysis based on a total of 20 fruit and seed characters represents the current taxonomic classification of the taxa in Turkey, which is updated in this study. A new identification key for Turkish Iberis is provided.