SEED MORPHOLOGY AND ITS TAXONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE

IN THE FAMILY MALVACEAE

 

RUBINA ABID^*, AFSHEEN ATHER AND M. QAISER

 

Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan

^*Corresponding author’s email: rubinaku@yahoo.com

 

Abstract

 

The seed morphological studies of 75 taxa belonging to 6 sub-families of the family Malvaceae were carried out from Pakistan. In Pakistan the family Malvaceae is represented by 6 sub-families viz., Byttnerioideae, Dombeyoideae, Malvoideae, Bombacoideae, Helicteroideae and Sterculioideae.

The seed macro and micro morphological characters are examined, using light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Detailed seed morphological descriptions, micrographs and keys based on seed characters are also provided. A variety in various quantitative and qualitative seed characters was observed. The micro-morphological characters of seeds are quite significant to strengthen the taxonomic decisions within the family Malvaceae at various levels.

The data obtained from the seed morphological characters were analyzed numerically to trace out the phylogenetic affinities for the taxa within the family Malvaceae from Pakistan.

 

Key words: Malvaceae, Seeds, Pakistan.