Achene micromorphology of seven taxa of Achillea L. (Asteraceae) from Turkey

Adnan Akcin,Tulay Aytas Akcin

doi:10.3329/bjpt.v21i1.19253

Abstract

Micromorphological characters of achenes in seven taxa of Turkish Achillea L. (Asteraceae) were investigated using stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Some morphological descriptions of achenes were given for each species. A.biserrata Bieb. has the biggest (0.69±0.092 x 2.01±0.252 mm) and A. grandiflora Friv. has the smallest (0.30±0.018 x 1.12±0.058 mm) achenes. The achenes are oblong-lanceolate in A.biserrata and A. teretifolia Willd. and they are oblong in the remaining taxa. In surface sculpturing, the ornamentation and slime cell distribution varied among the taxa. However, A. biebersteinii Afan. has distinct slime cells forming groups scattered over the achene surface. Mature achenes are ribbed and glabrous in all studied taxa. A. biserrata has distinct carpopodium structure.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjpt.v21i1.19253Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 21(1): 19-25, 2014 (June)

Highlights

The genus Achillea L. (Asteraceae) includes about 140 species distributed in South-west Asia and South-eastern Europe (Akyalcın et al, 2011)
The genus Achillea is represented in Turkey by 48 species (54 taxa), 24 of which are endemic for Anatolia (Akyalcın et al, 2011)
Achenes of Achillea L. taxa were studied by stereomicroscope (Leica T1A) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) (JEOL-Neoscope JCM-5000)

Summary

Introduction

The genus Achillea L. (Asteraceae) includes about 140 species distributed in South-west Asia and South-eastern Europe (Akyalcın et al, 2011). Achene micromorphological characters have been found useful in systematics of the family Asteraceae (Abid and Qaiser, 2007a, b; Shekhar et al, 2011). Within the Asteraceae, slime cells have been reported in Achillea It is suggested that slime plays an important role in controlling of germination, mostly in plants that grow in the condition of water deficiency in arid and semiarid environments (Kreitschitz and Valles, 2007) It can help fruit or seed dispersal and defence against pathogens (Huang and Gutterman,1999; Huang et al, 2000). Despite several studies on achene micromorphology of Achillea were carried out recently (Abid and Qaiser, 2009; Akcin and Akcin, 2010), there is very little information on the Turkish taxa.

Materials and Methods

Samsun

Results and Discussion