Comparative Seed Morphology of Eight Allium L. Species from Sections Codonoprasum and Scorodon

Abstract

Objective: The Allium L. genus is one of the largest species of sectoral importance due to its consumption as food and its medical importance. For this reason, different characters are used to solve taxonomic problems and clearly identify species. One of these characteristics is the micromorphological characteristics of the seed. Materials and Methods: Light microscopy was used to examine the size and maturity of the seeds, and their micromorphology was studied using an FEI Quanta 450 FEG-EDS scanning electron microscope (SEM) at Istanbul University, Faculty of Science Department of Physics Nano- and Optoelectronics Research Laboratories. Twelve characteristics were determined on the seed surfaces of the examined eight Allium species. Cluster analysis was performed on these characteristics using Jaccard similarity analysis with PAST 1.81. Results: Seed surfaces of eight Allium species (4 species from the sect. Codonoprasum and 4 species from the sect. Scorodon were examined. Allium phrygium Boiss., A. balansae Boiss., A. sivasicum N. Özhatay & Kollmann, A. djilgense Boiss. ex Regel, and A. tauricola Boiss. are endemics for Türkiye. The epidermal cells of the testa were either regularly or irregularly polygonal. The arrangement of the cells was generally compact, primarily consisting of cellular reticulate tissue. The anticlinal walls of the testa epidermal cells were either straight or curved, while the periclinal walls varied from flat or concave to various extents. Additionally, the epidermal cells exhibited verrucae and granulose features. The micromorphological characteristics of the seeds are summarized in a list. According to seed characteristics, two main branches formed in the similarity tree. In particular, the species in the Sect. Scorodon are grouped together. Conclusion: Micromorphological traits, such as surface texture, cell shape, and seed testa patterns, can provide valuable information for identifying species and understanding taxonomic and evolutionary relationships. In the context of Allium, these traits can be particularly useful because they often exhibit significant variation among species and are stable and characteristic enough to serve as reliable taxonomic markers. By analyzing these micromorphological features, it is possible to gain insight into the evolutionary history and relationships of different taxa within the species.

Keywords

• Allium
• endemic
• Cluster analysis
• SEM
• testa

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