Karyomorphological features of Turkish Centaurea (subgenus Cyanus, Asteraceae) species and its taxonomic importance

In this study, the karyomorphology of 20 Turkish Centaurea (subgenus Cyanus) taxa was examined. The number of chromosomes of 11 taxa belonging to the subgenus Cyanus was determined for the first time. As a result of the karyomorphological studies, the number of basic chromosomes was determined to be x = 8, 10, and 12 in annuals and x = 10 and 11 in perennials. The populations are tetraploid in the seven perennial taxa and polyploidy is not rare for this group. On the other hand, all annual taxa are diploid.