PJB-2019-926
The taxonomic significance of leaf epidermal micromorphological characters of some Brassicaceae species in Turkey
Ayse Erden and Yusuf Menemen
Abstract
Leaf epidermal micromorphological characters were examined using light and scanning electron microscopes in 43 taxa belonging to 30 genera of Brassicaceae. The cell curvature of the periclinal wall has an important influence on the surface roughness and stands out as an important character in the separation of some closely related species. The course of the anticlinal cell wall can be straight or uneven. Uneven anticlines could be further divided into arched, straight to arched, repand, sinuous, and undulate. Undulations of anticlinal cell walls could increase the mechanical stability of the epidermis tissue. Epicuticular surface ornamentation comprised 4 types: smooth, striate, wrinkled, and ridged. In general, wrinkled and ridged were the most common types. Different types of wax layers were found in different taxa growing in the same climatic conditions. Therefore, wax diversification may be is an important feature at all taxonomic hierarchy from species to tribal level. The stomata were amphistomatic, and anisocytic in all the species, while anomocytic stomata were found in some species too. It was revealed that the low stomatal index values of some species growing on high, stony-rocky areas are directly related to the climatic conditions and habitat that the plant is exposed to. It was also observed that the stomatal index was higher in species growing in lower areas and prefer moist soil. As a result, this study showed that the shape, measurement, surface curvature, anticlinal cell wall, stomata type, stomatal index, epicuticular surface ornamentation and waxy cover of the leaf epidermis cells could be important characters for distinguishing the species, genera and tribes within the familly.
To Cite this article:
Erden, A. and Y. Menemen. 2023. The taxonomic significance of leaf epidermal micromorphological characters of some Brassicaceae species in Turkey. Pak. J. Bot., 55(4): DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.30848/PJB2023-4(12)
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