Cyanus, Miller, 1754

Negaresh, Kazem, 2022, A checklist of the genus Cyanus (Asteraceae, Cardueae) in Turkey, with notes on taxonomy and distribution, Phytotaxa 531 (1), pp. 18-40 : 20-21

Key to species of the genus Cyanus in Turkey

1. Plants annual.......................................................................................................................................................................................2

- Plants perennial ..................................................................................................................................................................................5

2. Peripheral florets purple, their corollas crenate with 10–15 short lobes .................................................................... C. tchihatcheffii

- Peripheral florets blue, their corollas laciniate with 5–6 long laciniae ..............................................................................................3

3. Lower and median cauline leaves pinnatipartite or sublyrate; pappus absent.................................................................... C. pinardii

- Lower and median cauline leaves usually undivided; pappus present ...............................................................................................4

4. Upper cauline leaves linear, 1–2 mm wide; involucres 10–16 × 5–10 mm; cilia of appendages 0.5–1 mm long; achenes 3–4 mm long; pappus 1.5–3.5 mm long ........................................................................................................................................... C. segetum

- Upper cauline leaves oblong to lanceolate, 3–5(–6) mm wide; involucres 13–18 × 8–13 mm; cilia of appendages 1.5–2 mm long; achenes 4.5–6 mm long; pappus 5–8(–9) mm long......................................................................................................... C. depressus

5. Flowering stem lateral at base of rosette, usually arising from base of rosette..................................................................................6

- Flowering stem terminal out of centre of rosette, never arising from base of rosette......................................................................13

6. Capitula large, 18–25 × 15–25 mm; cilia of appendages 3–4 mm long................................................................. C. cheiranthifolius

- Capitula smaller, 10–17 × 6–13(–15) mm; cilia of appendages 1–2.5(–3) mm long.........................................................................7

7. Rosette leaves usually with broadly lanceolate to oval or suborbicular terminal segment ........................................... C. reuterianus

- Rosette leaves usually with linear-lanceolate or lanceolate terminal segment...................................................................................8

8. Basal and lower cauline leaves pinnatifid to pinnatipartite, with 3–5 pairs of linear-lanceolate or lanceolate and entire or pinnatifid segments ........................................................................................................................................................................... C. lanigerus

- Basal and lower cauline leaves undivided or lyrate, with 3(–4) pairs of lateral lobes or teeth..........................................................9

9. Plant often with underground stolons, without thickened roots, stems ascending to decumbent ....................................................10

- Plant without stolons, with thickened roots, stems erect or ascending ............................................................................................12

10. Peripheral florets blue, 23–30 mm long; achenes 4–5 mm long ......................................................................................... C. pichleri

- Peripheral florets purplish-pink or cream, 20–21 mm long; achenes 3.5–3.9 mm long ..................................................................11

11. Rosette leaves generally pinnatipartite, with 1–5 pairs of lateral segments; involucres 12–13 mm long; median appendages 2.5–3 mm wide ............................................................................................................................................................................... C. uysalii

- Rosette leaves always undivided; involucres 14–17 mm long; median appendages 4–5 mm wide ....................... C. hekimhanensis

12. Stem 9–22 cm length; involucres 12–14 × 6–10 mm; flowers violet............................................................................. C. raimondoi

- Stem 3–10 cm length; involucres 15–17 × 10–13 mm; flowers purplish-pink to violet or cream.................................... C. bourgaei

13. Appendages with a wide scarious margin, black or dark brown; cilia dark brown to blackish ................................ C. nigrofimbrius

- Appendages with a narrow scarious margin, light to dark brown; cilia whitish ..............................................................................14

14. Plant with thickened roots ................................................................................................................................................................15

- Plant without thickened roots ...........................................................................................................................................................16

15. Involucres 11–15 × 8–11 mm; cilia 0.9–1.1 mm long; flowers violet or purple ............................................................. C. eflanensis

- Involucres 16–20 × 10–15 mm; cilia 2–3 mm long; flowers almost cream.......................................................................... C. thirkei

16. All leaves undivided .........................................................................................................................................................................17

- Basal and lower cauline leaves divided............................................................................................................................................19

17. Stem ascending or prostrate, branched from median to upper parts, sometimes with several branches as long as stem; appendages without brownish border; peripheral florets not radiant, 7–10 mm longer than involucres, their lobes linear or filiform .................. ................................................................................................................................................................................... C. celikhanensis

- Stem erect, simple or with few branches; appendages with brownish border; peripheral florets radiant, 10–15 mm longer than involucres, their lobes lanceolate .....................................................................................................................................................18

18. Stem 12–14 cm length; involucres ovoid to cylindrical, 15–16 × 7(–8) mm; width of scarious margin of appendages 0.2–0.5 mm; cilia 1.3–1.5 mm long; central florets few, 10–15 in each capitulum.............................................................. C. germanicopolitanus

- Stem 10–60 cm length; involucres ovoid to subglobose, 15–22 × 8–15(–20) mm; width of scarious margin of appendages 0.5–1.5 mm; cilia 1.5–3.5 mm long; central florets numerous, more than 15 in each capitulum ................................................ C. triumfettii

19. Stem erect, simple or with 1–2 branches; lower and median cauline leaves linear-lanceolate in outline, pinnatifid to pinnatipartite, with (1–)2–3 pairs of distant linear lobes; pappus 1–2 mm long ............................................................................. C. matthiolifolius

- Stem ascending, mostly with several branches as long as stem; lower and median cauline leaves lanceolate or spathulate in outline, pinnatilobate to lyrate, with 2–5 pairs of lobes or repand-dentate or partly entire; pappus 0.5–1 mm long.................. C. woronowii