PJB-2025-1510
Invasive success regulated by micromorphological modifications in wild sage (Lantana camara L.) from ecologically diverse habitats
Huma Shahid, Mansoor Hameed and Farooq Ahmad
Abstract
Invasive species have been declared as one of the utmost important yet subtle hazards to biological diversity. Lantana camara, a shrub of Central and South American origin, has a widespread invasiveness across a broad range of climates distributed up to 2000 m elevation. The present studies were performed to examine comparative anatomy of L. camara from different habitats including mountains, forest plantations, roadsides, deserts, saltmarshes and riverbanks to find out the ecological significance of anatomical characteristics that are related to invasion success. The studied population was exposed to an explicit set of environmental conditions. Anatomical traits significantly varied in diverse ecological regions, which were population specific. The proportion of parenchymatous tissue in roots, stem and leaves was increased in the desert population, which improved succulence. Moreover, increased metaxylem, phloem area and mesophyll thickness in this population enabling this population for easier translocation of nutrients and photosynthates. In mountainous habitats, increased cross-sectional area, cortical region thickness and epidermal cell area in roots, cortical cell area in stem and phloem area in leaves assisted these populations in minimizing water loss and improving water storage capacity. Sclerenchyma and vascular bundle area were more developed in the roadside populations providing mechanical strength to softer metabolically active tissue. Water availability was limited in the roadside population, hence critically important for survival. A greater number of leaves and greater leaf area were linked to better photosynthesis, which were increased in the riverbank populations where sufficient moisture was available for growth and development. All these ensure invasive success of L. camara populations in a variety of habitats either by minimizing water loss from plant body or storing more water in parenchymatous tissue. It was concluded that invasive success of L. camara relied on high degree of plasticity in its macro- and micro-morphological traits, which were specific for specific habitats
To Cite this article:
Shahid, H., M. Hameed and F. Ahmad. 2025. Invasive success regulated by micromorphological modifications in wild sage (Lantana camara L.) from ecologically diverse habitats. Pak. J. Bot., 57(2): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30848/PJB2025-2(6)
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