Some palynological observations on the genus Echinops (Asteraceae) and their taxonomic implications

Based on pollen grain morphology and having regard to other characters the following recommendations concerning the taxonomy of the genus Echinops are made: (i) The genera Echinops and Acantholepis are not so closely related as it may appear; the former genus represents a monotypical tribe Echinopae Cass. [emend.]; the latter genus and species (Acantholepis orientalis Less.) belongs to the tribe Cardueae Cass., subtrib. Carlinineae Cass. The tendency of the anthodia to be reduced to one flower only can evidently appear in different parts of the Asteraceae. (ii) In Echinops, the species E. strigosus is very different and should be classified as a separate genus Psectra (Endlicher) Tomšovic including one species Psectra strigosa (L.) Tomšovic.