Taxonomical study of seeds and fruit micromorphology of the Geranium (Geraniaceae) species in the Thrace region of Turkey (Europe)

The seed and mericarp micromorphology of 13 naturally growing Geranium species (G. lucidum, G. purpureum, G. robertianum, G. rotundifolium, G. molle, G. pusillum, G. divaricatum, G. columbinum, G. dissectum, G. tuberosum, G. asphodeloides, G. sanguineum, and G. pyrenaicum) in Thrace have been studied by scanning electron microscope. According to the analysis, seeds are generally ovate-elliptic, smoothsurfaced and faveolate, and only the seeds of G. divaricatum and G. tuberosum are reticulate. Mericarps are usually without the strand of fibres, callus and prong at the base, the rostrum is generally 10–20mm long -minimum 5–8mm long (G. pusillum), maximum 15–32mm long (G. sanguineum). These results have shown that the species can be identified according to their mericarp and seed surface characteristics.