A pollen analysis of Genisia sect. Spartocarpus has been carried out on 124 samples from 15 species. The taxa were compared in terms of quantitative and qualitative pollen characters, analysed by LM and SEM.
Multivariate analysis subdivides taxa into four clusters. Genisia radiala, G. holopeiala and G. hassertiana, E-Alpine-Balkanic species with capitate inflorescence, form an isolate cluster that is palynologically, morphologically and karyologically homogeneous. The other species, with inflorescences of racemous type, can be grouped in three clusters: the first comprising G. sessilifolia, G. nissana and G. aucheri, Balkan-Anatolian taxa, the second including G. spartioides, G. hoenseleri and G. numidica. Spanish and N-African species, the third comprising the W-Mediterranean G. ephedroides, G. Ihyrrena, G. gasparrinii, G. cilentina, G. aetnensis and G. dorycnifolia. Pollen characters and morphological, karyological ancl biogeographical data appear to be related.
The arrangement proposed by Gibbs (1966), who has grouped all the examined species in sect. Spartocarpus, is supported by the pollen analysis. On the basis of pollen characters all taxa of Genista sect. Spartocarpus may be
considered as well distinguished. The specific treatment of these taxa in Greuter et al. (1989) is, in generai terms, confined by palynological data. However. the grouping of G. radiata. G. holopetala and G. hassertiana in the G. radiata-group and of G. ephedroides. G. gasparrinii. G. Ihyrrena and G. cilentina in lhe G. ephedroides-group is proposed.
