Leaf epidermal anatomy of the genus Silene Caryophyllaceae from Pakistan

Abstract

Anatomical studies of 16 species of the genus Silene have been carried out from Pakistan by light microscopy. There is considerable variation in leaf epidermal anatomy in the species of Silene. In anatomical studies type of stomata, shape and size of epidermal cells, trichomes and crystals are important to identify the taxa at specific level. In almost all the species abaxial surface was different from the adaxial surfaces. . Diacytic type of stomata is the diagnostic character of family Caryophyllaceae. In Silene basic type of stomata is diacytic but some other stomatal types are also present such as anisocytic and anomocytic. S.arenosa can be easily distinguished by cristarque type of crystal. Epidermal cells of S. moorcroftiana are larger in size i.e.125 µm in length while in S. indica length of epidermal cell is 30µ m. In S. villosa 4 - 5 - celled glandular hairs are abundantly present that is its species- specific character. The study suggests that the genus Silene has both primitive as well as advanced characters. A dichotomous key is constructed for the species identification using the characters that have been studied

Keywords

• Silene,Caryophyllaceae,Stomata,Epidermis,Trichomes

References

1. Ahmad, K., Safa, A. 1995. The genus Chenopodium L. in Egypt II. Anatomical characters as a systematic tool. Ann. Agric. Sci. Cairo. 40. 505 – 513.
2. Ahmad, K. J. 1997. Taxonomic significance of epidermal characters in Acanthaceae in “Progress in Plant Research” Silver Publication. National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India. 1. 135 – 166.
3. Akhter, N., Syed, A. 2006. Epidermal structures as taxonomic features in some members of Acanthaceae.Pak. J. Pl. Sci. 12/2. 163-166.
4. Aranbari A. M. & Colares M.I. 1993. Lotus corniculates and Lotus tenuis anatomy of leaf. Lotus Newsletter. 24. 38 – 40.
5. Arora, R. K., Pandey, A. 1996. Wild Edible Plants of India. Ind. Council of Agri. Research. 77.
6. Ataslar, E. 2004. Morphological and Anatomical Investigations on the Saponaria kotschyana Boiss. (Caryophyllaceae). Turk. J. Bot. 28. 193 – 199.
7. Bakshi, D. N. 1984. “Flora of Murshadabad District and West Bangal”, India scientific publisher, India. 58.
8. Bokhari, M. H. 1987. Recent Trends in Angiosperm Taxonomy. Mod. Trends Pl. Sci. Res. Pak. Department of Botany, University of Peshawar, Peshawar: 248 – 252.

9. Das, S. 2002. The ontogeny stomata and glandular hairs in some Indian Mangroves. Acta Bot. Croat. 61. 199 – 205.
10. Davis, P. H., Heywood, V. H. 1963. Principles of Angiosperm Taxonomy. Oliver and Boyd. Edinburgh. 181-203.
11. Davis, P. H. 1967. Flora of Turkey and the East Aegen Island. Edinburgh University Press. 2. 99-143.
12. Dickison, W. C. 2000. Integrative Plant Anatomy. Harcourt Academic Press, New York. 225 – 229.
13. Dilcher, D. L. 1974. Approaches to the Identification of Angiosperms Leaf remains. Bot. Rev. 40. 1-15.
14. Easu, K. 1965. Plant Anatomy. 2nd Edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 95-98.
15. Ghazanfar, S. A., Nasir, Y. J. 1986. Caryophyllaceae. Fl. Pak. 175.1-125.
16. Gilani, S. S., Khan, M. M., Shinwari, Z. K., Yousaf, Z. 2002. Leaf epidermal anatomy of selected Digitaria species Tribe Paniceae, Family Poaceae of Pakistan. Pak. J. Bot. 34. 257 – 273.
17. Greuter, W. 1995. Silene L. (Caryophyllaceae) in Greece: a subgeneric and sectional classification. Taxon. 44. 543– 581.
18. Grewal, R. C. 2000. Plant Anatomy. Campus Books International, Delhi. 386 – 388.
19. Jafari, A., Zokai, M., Fathi, Z. 2008. A Biosystematical Investigation on Silene L. Species in North East of Iran. Asi. J. Pl. Sci. 7/4. 394-398.
20. Jurgens, A., Witt, T., Gottsberger, G. 2002. Flower scent composition in night flowering Silene species (Caryophyllaceae). Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 30/5. 383-397.
21. Jurgens, A. T. 2004. Flower scent composition in diurnal Silene species (Caryophyllaceae): Phylogenetic constraints or adaptation to flower visitors. Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 32/10. 841-859.
22. Metcalfe, C. R., Chalk, L.1950. Anatomy of the Dicotyledons. Oxford at the Clarendon Press. UK. 1. 147-152.
23. Metcalfe, C.R., Chalk, L.1983. Anatomy of the Dicotyledons. Vol. 2. Calerdon Press. Oxford.
24. Rashid, A., Ahmad, I., Beg, A. R. 1987. Importance of Trichomes and Stomata in Taxonomy and phylogeny of convolvulaceae and solanceae. Mod. Trend Pl. Sci. Res. Pak. Department of Botany, University of Peshawar, Peshawar: 233 – 239.
25. Stace, C. A. 1965. The Significance of the Leaf Epidermis in the Taxonomy of Combritaceae, I. A. general review of tribal, general and specific characters. J. Linn. Soc. Bot. 229-252.
26. Stace, C. A. 1980. Plant Taxonomy and Biosystematics. Edward Arnold. UK.
27. Subrahmanyam, N. S. 1996. Labortary Manual of Plant Taxonomy. Vikas Publishing house Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi. 153- 156.
28. Takhtajan, A. 1980. Outlines of the classification of flowering plants. Bot. Rev. 46. 225 – 359.
29. Warming, E. 1920. A Handbook of Systematic Botany. 2nd Edition. M.C. Potter, London. 92-103.
30. Yildiz, K., Minareci, E. 2008. Morphological, Anatomical, Palynological and Cytological Investigation on Silene urvillei Schott. (Caryophyllaceae). J. Appl. Biol. Sci. 2 /2. 41-47