PJB-2004-53
CAN COMPLEXITY OF THE GENUS ALLIUM L., BE RESOLVED THROUGH SOME NUMERICAL TECHNIQUES?
ZUBAIDA YOUSAF, *1ZABTA KHAN SHINWARI, RIZWANA ALEEM QURESHI, MIR AJAB KHAN AND SYED SHAHINSHAH GILANI
Abstract
Allium L., is the largest genus of petaloid monocotyledons except orchids, with 750 species all over the world and 46 species in Pakistan. Numerical techniques were used to study the taxonomic relationship of the Allium L., from Pakistan. Both vegetative and reproductive characters were taken into account. Bulb plays a major role in identification of various species of this genus. A. fedtschenkoanum Regel and A. semonovii Regel are quite confusing but can be separated on the basis of outer tunic nature, scape length and floral characters. Tepals colour of A. fedtschenkoanum Regel is yellow and A. semenovii Regel has double coloured tepals, yellow above and red below. A. baluchistanicum Wendelbo is a rare species in Pakistan because it was recorded only once from Quetta in 1966. A. lilacinum Royle ex Regel was previously reported from Pakistan, but no herbarium specimen was available to verify the report. A. jacquemontii Kunth showed confusion with A. przewalskianum Regel, A. griffithianum Boiss., and A. roylei Stearn. Differentiation between A. griffithianum Boiss and A. jacquemontii Kunth can be made by using characters of scape and flowers. Some taxonomists recognized A. roylei Stearn and A. rubellum L., as separate species. Our results revealed that both are conspecific. A. rubellum L., is a synonym of A. roylei Stearn. This species is closely related to A. griffithianum Boiss and A. jacquemontii Kunth. A. longicupis Regel is a new record and for the first time reported from Pakistan. This species has pink flower, glabrous leaf sheath and the inflorescence is a bulbiferous umbel. It is closely related to A. roylei Stearn.
To Cite this article:
Download
