Morphological and Anatomical Studies of Hippocrepis L. Genus in Turkey

ABSTRACT: In this study, the morphological and anatomical features were investigated of three taxon of Hippocrepis L. species which spreading naturally in Turkey. In the morphological part of the study, H. unisiliquosa subsp. unisiliquosa’s stem is erect or decumbent. The species H. ciliata’s Willd. stem is erect. H. multisiliquosa’s L. stem is decumbent. The fruit of H. multisiliquosa is much more convoluted than the other two taxa. There are cilia on the fruit of H. ciliata, but there are not found any cilia the other two taxa. The stem anatomy of all the studied taxa is hexagonal. In the stem cross section of H. ciliata 12-14 vascular bundle are found, H. unisiliquosa subsp. unisiliquosa 12-15 and H. multisiliquosa 12-13. Leaf vascular bundles are arranged regularly, H. unisiliquosa subsp. unisiliquosa have 18-20, H. ciliata have 6-8, H. multisiliquosa have 9-13 vascular bundles.