Cytogenetic Relationships of Turkish Oaks

Abstract

The genus Quercus L. represented by 18 species belonging to three sections (Quercus L., Ilex Loudon and Cerris Loudon) in Turkey has a problematic taxonomy especially because of widespread hybridization observed frequently among oak species. In the present chapter, detailed karyotypic investigation of the 16 oak species from three sections in Turkey, their taxonomic relationships with each other and European oaks and finally situations that increase the variation and taxonomic problems among oak species in Turkey were evaluated to contribute to the taxonomic relationships of the genus. The somatic chromosome number in all taxa examined confirmed that the chromosome number of the genus is consistent with 2n = 24. However, some differences were determined among species, although similar results were observed in many oak species in Turkey contrary to European oaks.