The Kadıncık shrub (Flueggea anatolica) is one of the endemic forest shrub species in Turkey. In this study, the morphological and physiological characteristics of F. anatolica seeds from three provenances (Tarsus, Kozan, Andırın) were investigated. The average 1000-seed weight was 4.9 g. There were significant differences between seeds from the different provenances in terms of their morphological characteristics, with the seeds from the Kozan provenance having the smallest seeds in terms of weight, thickness, and width. The seeds germinated at similarly high rates (90 ± 2%) at 16°C, 20°C, 24°C, and 28°C. However, the germinations occurred earlier at 24°C and 28°C, with 24°C appearing to be the most appropriate germination temperature. The results indicated that F. anatolica seeds have physiological dormancy, requiring approximately 10 weeks of prechilling for dormancy removal and germination. A 4-week warm-incubation period at 24°C prior to the prechilling treatment had only a slight effect on the prechilling duration time required to remove dormancy. Seeds stored in the refrigerator (+4°C) with a 2.7% or 4.0% moisture content conserved their high initial germination rates after one year of storage. The average germination rate of the prechilled seeds redried to an 8% moisture content and stored for one year at 4°C dropped from 92.7% to 63.6%. Basing on the results of this study, the suggested moisture content and storage temperature for storing F. anatolica seeds are 3–8% and 4°C or less, respectively.
Three populations of Abies cilicica subsp. isaurica and four of A. cilicica subsp. cilicica were analyzed using 35 morphological and anatomical needle characters with the implementation of multivariate statistical methods to verify the differences between subspecies. Moreover, the possible geographic differentiation of A. cilicica subsp. cilicica populations from the East Taurus and Lebanon Mountains was examined. Abies cilicica subsp. isaurica has been distinguished from A. cilicica subsp. cilicica by its glabrous young shoots and resinous buds. We detected that needles of A. cilicica subsp. isaurica are longer, broader and thicker, with a higher number of stomata rows, and larger cells of the epidermis, hypodermis and endodermis than A. cilicica subsp. cilicica. Additionally, A. cilicica subsp. isaurica needles have frequently rounded to obtuse-acute apex and resinous canals positioned more centrally inside the mesophyll than needles of A. cilicica subsp. cilicica. This indicates that a set of most of the tested needle characters can be used to distinguish the subspecies; however, any of characters enable that when used separately. Morphological and anatomical distinctiveness between these two taxa justify their recognition at the subspecies rank. Additionally, the populations of A. cilicica subsp. cilicica from the East Taurus and Lebanon are morphologically different. This geographic differentiation of populations is congruent with results provided by genetic analyses of nuclear microsatellites markers (nSSR).