Taxonomic implication of embryo micromorphology in the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vicia</Emphasis> L. (Fabaceae)

In this work, embryos of selected Vicia species were examined to reveal the micromorphological characters that could have taxonomic significance. Experimental results show that morphological characters such as cotyledons shape and colour, radicle shape, colour and position, plumule colour and stipular parts attachments are variable and could be used for taxa identification in the genus Vicia. Numerical analysis based on 38 micromorphological characters was used to build a phenogram that indicated the relationships among the studied taxa. In addition, an identification key using embryo characters was prepared for Vicia species. The variability of embryo characters were discussed in the taxonomic context. Although the embryo characters have only limited phylogenetic signal for Vicia species, they might be used for their morphological delimitation.     

Anatomical and nutlet differentiation between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Teucrium montanum</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">T. polium</Emphasis> from Turkey

Teucrium montanum L. and T. polium L. are the two closest Teucrium L. species from sect. Polium (Mill.) Schreb in Turkey. In addition, they are sympatric for some part of their range in Turkey. In this study, comparative anatomical and micromorphological studies of the two species are carried out. They have been investigated by their leaf and stem anatomical features, as well as nutlet micromorphological characteristics. The results of anatomical studies show that the anatomical characters of both taxa are observed to be similar to the general features of the family Lamiaceae anatomy, except for lacking rich collenchyma at the corners. Both taxa are similar in stem anatomy and their leaves exhibit xeromorphy. However, trichome morphology on the stems and the leaves appear to have a taxonomic value in segregation of the two taxa. Light and scanning electron microscope studies on the nutlets also show that nutlet shapes, measures and surface micromorphologies are different in the two species. Whereas nutlet surfaces are bireticulate in both species, the nutlets are larger and primary sculpturing is more distinct in T. polium than in T. montanum. Moreover, the nutlets are oblong to oblong-ovoid and larger in T. polium, but ovoid and smaller in T. montanum.     

Ultra-sculpturing of seed morphotypes in selected species of genus Salvia L. and their taxonomic significance

• The taxonomic importance of macromorphological and micromorphological seed characteristics was investigated using SEM of ten species of the Salvia genus from Pakistan. The aim was to identify diagnostic seed ultrastructural features that could aid in species delimitation, correct identification and phylogenetic position. The ultrastructure of Salvia varies greatly, and a wide range of unique micromorphological features have been observed.
• Seed micromorphological features were explored by SEM, including seed shape, colour, texture, cell outline, surface sculpturing, epidermal cell arrangement, anticlinal, and periclinal wall pattern.
• Seed shapes were categorized as obovate, spherical, spheroid, broadly elliptic, elliptic and oblong, mostly with a terminal hilum. Seed colours were black, light brown, dark brown, brown and yellow. Exo-morphological characters, i.e. epidermal cell arrangements, included irregular, wavy pentagonal-hexagonal, regular pentagonal-hexagonal. Cluster analysis was used to assess similar and distinct species within Salvia with a feasible explanation. Taxonomic keys were made based on micromorphological qualitative features that help to delimit species and identify them quickly within the Salvia genus.
• Seed morphology of ten Salvia species was described and investigated, and the diagnostic significance of features evaluated using SEM. This study analysed seed features, especially at the species level, which might provide much new taxonomic information. The results revealed that, in seed morphology, using SEM can help with taxon identification, especially at the genus and species levels.

     

Morphology, anatomy, palynology and nutlet micromorphology of the rediscovered Turkish endemic Salvia ballsiana (Lamiaceae) and their taxonomic implications

Salvia ballsiana (Rech. fil.) Hedge, previously known only from the type gathering, is a local endemic species from Turkey. The species was first collected from Gölbaşı (Malatya) by E. K. Balls in 1935, and was not collected again until 2008, when we found it in Gerger (Adıyaman). The diagnostic morphological characters of this rare endemic species are discussed, including its anatomical, palynological and nutlet micromorphological features. Morphological characteristics of leaves, calyces, corollas and types of stamens are useful for sectional and specific delimitation in Salvia . Anatomical characters such as number of ray rows in roots, distance between vascular bundles in stems, mesophyll structures in leaves, shape of mid-rib and presence/absence of sclerenchymatic tissue in petioles are of taxonomic significance. In addition, size, shape and ornamentation of pollen grains and nutlets are diagnostic.     

The systematic importance of anatomical data in Gagea (Liliaceae) from the Flora Iranica area

Anatomical features of basal leaves, pedicels and tepals of 22 species of Gagea belonging to four sections (Platyspermum, Plecostigma, Gagea and Didymobulbos) are investigated. Anatomical characters are mapped onto a molecular phylogenetic tree and their evolution is evaluated. The systematic importance of the anatomical characters is discussed. Anatomical characters are more systematically useful in the Irano‐Turanian taxa than in Euro‐Siberian taxa. The presence of collenchyma and/or sclerenchyma and the pentagonal outline of the transverse section of the basal leaf is found in Irano‐Turanian taxa of section Platyspermum and is mostly absent in Euro‐Siberian taxa. A diagnostic key based on combined anatomical characters is provided. The level of variation in anatomical characters is greater in the basal leaf than the pedicel and lowest in the tepals. Convergent evolution in anatomical characters is associated with ecological shifts between sunny, open, dry habitats and closed, humid habitats. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 164 , 155–177.     

Consistent and variable leaf anatomical characters in Carex (Cyperaceae)

The anatomy and morphology of leaves in Carex have the potential to be taxonomically useful. However, studies on the variability of leaf characteristics in the genus are sparse. Researchers therefore risk using leaf anatomical characters without the knowledge of whether they are consistent in a species. We examined 22 qualitative and seven quantitative leaf anatomy characters from transverse leaf sections to test their consistency across 11 Carex spp. The characters were clearly described and primarily microscopic. Some characters were found to exhibit high levels of intraspecific variation, whereas other characters exhibited high levels of consistency in a species, including the shape of the leaf section, the density of papillae and the size of epidermal cells. Caution must be applied when choosing leaf anatomy to delimit taxa because of the intraspecific variability found in some characters, but sufficient numbers of invariant characters exist to provide useful taxonomic separation. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 172 , 371–384.     

Seed morphology of Iranian annual species of Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae)

Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) is one of the largest and most diversified cosmopolitan genera of flowering plants. South‐west Asia is a major centre of diversity and contains c. 65 annual species, 35 of which occur in Iran. In this article, the seed morphology of all Iranian annual species was studied, including E. aulacosperma and E. rhabdothosperma, both new records for Iran. Quantitative and qualitative macro‐ and micromorphological features of seeds and caruncles were investigated using stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Caruncle characters (shape, size, colour) and seed characters (shape, size, colour, ornamentation) are often constant and useful in identification and classification. An identification key and scanning electron micrographs are provided for all known Iranian taxa. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 167 , 212–234.     

Palynotaxonomy of Brazilian species of Polygala subgenus Hebeclada

This study used pollen morphology to address taxonomic controversies related to several species belonging to subgenus Hebeclada of the genus Polygala (Polygalaceae). According to the last traditionally accepted revision of this subgenus, it comprises 40 species. Nevertheless, a recent taxonomic treatment applying more comprehensive criteria reduced this number to only nine species. Our work focused on 15 traditionally accepted species that occur in Brazil, fourteen of which have been considered as only six species in this recent taxonomic study. Pollen grains from floral buds at pre‐anthesis were collected from herbarium specimens and analysed using both visible light and scanning electron microscopy. Most of the traditionally accepted species were distinguished by different combinations of several pollen‐related features, in particular colpi number (13 or 15), pollen size and shape, and endoaperture type (endocingulate or not) and arrangement (parallel or sinuous). The species accepted in the recent taxonomic treatment could not be discriminated by pollen characters. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 157 , 609–619.     

Multivariate analysis of morphological and anatomical characters of Calophyllum (Calophyllaceae) in South America

Calophyllum (Calophyllaceae), previously placed in Clusiaceae, is easily recognizable by its opposite entire leaves with close parallel venation alternating with resin canals. However, distinction between species has been difficult, because of infraspecific variation in tepal and stamen number and resemblance among species that share similar habitats. Here, I report the results of multivariate analyses of morphological and anatomical characters for Calophyllum in South America, and provide a taxonomic treatment for the genus in South America, the first since that of Vesque in 1893. Thirteen preliminary morphogroups were identified. Thirty‐two morphological characters of the leaf, flower and fruit from 401 specimens, and 17 anatomical leaf characters from 45 specimens were measured and analysed using principal component analyses (PCAs) and discriminant analyses (DAs). PCAs were used to find groups and DAs were used to validate those PCAs that were potential groups. Two main subgroups were identified in the general analysis. Subgroup M1 has terete stems and smaller leaves and flowers than subgroup M2, which, instead, has quadrangular stems. Only subgroup M2 showed distinctive clusters in regional and local analyses. Distinctive clusters and morphological and anatomical characters helped us to recognize four species in South America, including a new species, Calophyllum pubescens sp. nov. . In addition, a new species, Calophyllum mesoamericanum sp. nov. , is described from Central America. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London,     

Leaf morphology and anatomy of Camellia section Camellia (Theaceae)

The delimitations of species in Camellia section Camellia have been disputed for many years, resulting from uncertain relationships among species. Leaf morphological and anatomical characters for 54 species and three varieties in this section were investigated to reveal the relationships. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis were conducted using the transformed data for quantitative and qualitative characters from leaf morphology and anatomy. Combining the results of statistical analysis with comparative leaf characters of morphology and anatomy, we discussed the taxonomic treatment of section Camellia by Chang compared with that of Ming and we conclude that section Camellia consists of c. 50 species. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 159 , 456–476.     

An integrative anatomical,morphological, micromorphological and molecular approach to Turkish epidendroid and orchidoid species (Orchidaceae)

We aimed to describe and analyse the morphological, anatomical and micromorphological traits of 36 Turkish orchids representing 12 genera (e.g. Anacamptis, Cephalanthera, Dactylorhiza, Orchis, Serapias) in detail and analyse their usability for solving phylogenetic and taxonomic issues. We applied UPGMA cluster analysis to anatomical, morphological and micromorphological characters such as root tubers, leaf and flower structures, pit, sclerenchymatic sheath, vascular bundle shape, crystal and starch, exodermis and endodermis structure, stomata type, bulliform cells in roots, shoots and leaves, surface structures like papillae, hairs and ornamentation on flower parts, leaves, fruits and seeds. Furthermore, in a phylogenetic framework, we analysed nuclear ribosomal ITS diversity in the same orchid species belonging, and in a combined Bayesian phylogenetic analysis based on anatomical, morphological, micromorphogical and ITS data we confirmed the usefulness of multiple data sets for effectively assessing taxonomically critical orchids. In the combined analysis, all genera were resolved as monophyletic with topologies congruent with recently published more thorough molecular phylogenetic reconstructions, while the trees obtained by seprately analysing the ITS and the anatomical, morphological, micromorphogical data were less resolved and partly inconclusive.     

Foliar anatomy ofPolygonum (Polygonaceae): Survey of epidermal and selected internal structures

Several anatomical characters in leaves were described, and their distribution determined, for 153 species ofPolygonum, mostly from herbarium specimens. Structures surveyed were epidermal (glandular and nonglandular trichomes, nodules, specialized parenchyma, stomatal apparatus) and internal (cavities, crystals, laticifer-like cells, nodules, subepidermal fibers). Cleared leaves were supplemented by resin-embedded sections and SEM preparations of selected species. No feature defines any taxonomic section, but some features occur only within one section. Laticifer-like cells, epidermal and internal nodules, resin cups, and unique epidermal and subepidermal cavities seem to be unknown elsewhere; other features (invaginated epidermal cells; enlarged crystal cells confined to paraveinal layer) are rare among angiosperms.