Taxonomic relationships in Astragalus sections Hololeuce and Synochreati (Fabaceae):: evidence from RAPD-PCR and SDS-PAGE of seed proteins

Taxonomic status of the Turkish members of the sections Hololeuce and Synochreati of Astragalus (Fabaceae) was analysed using variation of morphological features, seed proteins and RAPD markers. Dendrograms based on Nei's genetic distance method UPGMA were used to compare the species. The results of cluster analysis were in broad agreement with morphological classifications of these species, and they were slightly different to the arrangement of these species in Flora of Turkey. Based on RAPD, seed protein and morphological analyses, A. vuralii H. Duman & Aytac is synonymized with A. andrasovszkyi Bornm., A. cylindraceus DC. with A. globosus Vahl, A. alindanus Boiss. with A. hirsutus Vahl, A. paecilanthus Boiss. & Heldr. with A. sibthorpianus Boiss., A. squalidus Boiss. & Noe with A. amoenus Fenzl, A. kangalicus Kit Tan & Sorger with A. fragrans Willd., and A. seydishehiricus Kit Tan & Ocakverdi, A. isparticus Kit Tan & Sorger and A. ocakverdii Kit Tan & Sorger with A. acmonotricus Fenzl. In addition to these, A. karputanus Boiss. & No should be treated as a subspecies of A. bicolor Lam.