Calcium oxalate crystals of some Crataegus (Rosaceae) species growing in Aegean region

Abstract

In this study, Ca oxalate crystals were isolated from the leaves and X-ray diffraction identified them as weddelite in Crataegus pontica C. Koch, C. stevenii Polar., C. monogyna ssp. monogyna Jacq. in C. orientalis var. orientalis Pallas ex Bieb. both whewellite and weddelite crystals were found. Although there were some differences among the soluble and insoluble oxalate contents, they were not notable in the species of C. stevenii (10%; 18%), C. orientalis (12.4%; 15%), C. monogyna (12.9%; 13%), whereas in C. pontica the difference was so great with the lowest soluble (4%), and highest (28%) insoluble oxalate content. Crystals have tetragonal or prismatic shape in general but tetrahedral kinked and straight shapes were seen in C. orientalis, tetragonal aggregates in C. stevenii, and also pseudo-tetrahedral cordate (heart) shape were found in C. monogyna ssp. monogyna and C. pontica. As the crystal biomineralization is under genetic control, this characteristic hydration state of crystals of Crataegus orientalis var. orientalis must be important for systematic phylogenetics.