¹Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Altınbaş University, Bakırköy 34147 Istanbul, Türkiye
²Natural Products Research and Development Center, DÜAGEM, Altınbaş University, Bakırköy 34147 Istanbul, Türkiye
³Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Istanbul University, Beyazıt 34116 Istanbul, Türkiye DOI : 10.29228/jrp.422 One of the most abundant genera in the flora of Türkiye is Centaurea L. (Asteraceae). There are 787 species in the world and 174 species in Türkiye, 126 taxa are endemic to Türkiye. The Centaurea antiochia Boiss. var. antiochia Boiss., Centaurea antiochia Boiss. var. praealta (Boiss. & Bal.) Wagenitz, Centaurea nerimaniae Ş. Kültür are the subject of a comparative anatomical investigation. The aim of this study is to determine and compare the anatomical features of three different Cantaurea taxa, two of which are endemic. The morphological features of these three taxa are very similar to each other. For this reason, the determination of anatomical features has a special importance in terms of detecting the differences of species. Centaurea taxa were collected by authors. The Centaurea specimens were identified and placed in ISTE (The Herbarium of the Faculty of Pharmacy of Istanbul University). In order to conduct anatomical research, the sample was fixed in 70% alcohol. Sartur solution was used to stain cross sections of the stem, leaves, and leaf surface sections and the anatomical features have been investigated. The glandular and non glandular trichomes, mesophyll cells, stomatal index, and stomata structures were compared. This is the first anatomical study on these three Centaurea taxa. They have amphistomatic and isobilateral leaves. It has multicellular, long non-glandular hairs as well as short stalked, big-head glandular hairs on the epiderma. In sclerencymatic tissue, a vascular bundle is inserted. These anatomical characteristics match those of the Centaurea species that have already been studied. Keywords : Anatomy; Asteraceae; Centaurea antiochia; Centaurea nerimaniae