Karyomorphological Study of Eight Centaurea L. Taxa (Asteraceae) from Turkey

Centaurea L. (Asteraceae) is one of the largest genera in Turkey. The chromosome number and morphology of 8 taxa belonging to the genus Centaurea were investigated using an image analysis system. Among these taxa, the chromosome numbers were as follows: 2n = 18 in C. cariensis Boiss. subsp. niveotomentosa (Hub.-Mor.) Wagenitz, C. lycaonica Boiss. & Heldr., C. virgata Lam.. and C. Polyclada DC.; 2n = 24 in C. cyanus L.; 2n = 36 in C. virgata and C. cariensis Boiss. subsp. cariensis: 2n = 40 in C. urvillei DC. subsp. urvillei; 2n = 54 in C. tuzgoluensis Aytac & H.Duman. In 5 taxa mixoploidy was observed (C. lycaonica, C urvillei subsp. urvillei, C cariensis subsp. cariensis, C. virgata. and C. tuzgoluensis). Based on karyotypic data for this genus, 3 basic chromosome numbers in Centaurea taxa were observed (x = 9. 10. and 12). Furthermore, ideograms are given for all the Centaurea taxa studied.