CAPSULE, LEAF AND CYATHIAL GLAND MORPHOLOGY OF TURKISH PERENNIAL TAXA OF Euphorbia L. SECTION Pithyusa (Raf.) Lázaro

Abstract

Macro and micromorphology of cyathial glands, capsules and cauline leaf surfaces of 13 perennial species of Euphorbia L. subg. Esula Pers. sect. Pithyusa (Raf.) Lázaro in Turkey were studied. Cyathial gland structure, based on cyathial gland shapes, colour and appendages was examined from live material by direct field observations and investigations. Cauline leaves and capsule surface features were analysed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Capsule sizes, capsule shapes and capsule and cauline leaf surface ornamentations were also studied. The capsule shape was found to vary from subglobose to conical. In most species, cyathial gland colour ranged from greenish-yellow to yellowish-green but some species were distinguished by their reddish or purplish cyathial glands. Although the number of cyathial glands in all species was four, five cyathial glands were determined to exist in some specimens of E. pestalozzae Boiss. Three different cyathial gland shapes (elliptic, trapezoid-elliptic or elliptic-reniform) were observed. Capsule surface of more than half of the studied species (7 taxa) is covered with nipple-like projections (papillate-mammillate) and the rest are covered with tiny rounded or hillock-like ornamentation (colliculate). The cauline leaf surface is papillate-mammillate in the majority of the studied species, although, colliculate surface is also observed in two species (E. seguieriana Necker and E. thessala (Form.) Degen & Dörf.). In conlusion, macro and micromorphological structures of cyathial gland and capsule of Euphorbia sect. Pithyusa taxa appeared to be useful diagnostic characters for species identifications. 

Keywords

• micromorphology,leaf surface,subg. Esula,Euphorbiaceae,Leafy spurge,Euphorbiaceae

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