Abstract
Abstract The genus Crataegus L. is one of the largest species in the family Rosaceae Juss. The fruits are used as medicinal raw materials ( Crataegus fructus ), as they contain a set of biologically active compounds. The genus is voluminous and taxonomically problematic due to significant variability, hybridization, apomixis, and polyploidy. As a result, it is difficult to determine the species of the genus. Species of the genus have a number of diagnostic features, one of which is a distinct fruit with seeds. The aim of our study was to identify and compare the diagnostic features of the fruits of seven species of the genus Crataegus flora of Ukraine, which are most often used as medicinal raw materials and are the most common in Ukraine – Crataegus laevigata , C. monogyna , C. pentagyna , C. pseudokyrtostyla , C. sanguinea , C. fallacina , and C. rhipidophylla . The study was performed using scanning and digital microscopy, and descriptions were made by standard methods. As a result, we identified features that clearly distinguished the studied species from each other. We identified mature fruits that contain only one pyrene ( C. monogyna , C. pseudokyrtostyla , C. fallacina , and C. rhipidophylla ), and several pyrenes ( C. laevigata , C. pentagyna , and C. sanguinea ) among the studied species of the genus. The studied species are characterized by spherical and ellipsoidal fruits. The predominant color is fulvous/brown with different shades, but almost-black fruits of the species C. pentagyna are well distinguished. Fruits of all studied species of the genus are fleshy, except C. sanguinea , which is floury. The species is characterized mainly by yellow flesh fruits, except C. pentagyna , which has ribbed fruits. The fruits of C. monogyna plants differ from those of other studied species by the spinous-tuberous surface relief. Pyrenes of triangular shape are observed only in C. pentagyna . We suggest that these features can be used as additional diagnostic tools to determine the species of the genus Crataegus flora in Ukraine.
Highlights
Ere are more than a thousand species of the genus Crataegus L. worldwide
The raw materials of which are permitted for use in medicine. Five of these species exist naturally in the flora of Ukraine – Crataegus laevigata (Poir.) DC., C. monogyna Jacq., C. pentagyna Waldst. & Kit., C. pseudokyrtostyla Klok. (C. curvisepala Lindm.), and C. sanguinea Pall. (Mezhens′ka & Mezhens′kiĭ, 2013; Mosyakin & Fedoronchuk, 1999; SPU, 2014). is publication is the first in a series focused on the study of macro- and micromorphological features of raw organs of the genus Crataegus in Ukraine. e aim of this study was to identify and compare the diagnostic features of the fruits of seven species of the genus Crataegus (C. laevigata, C. monogyna, C. pentagyna, C. pseudokyrtostyla, C. sanguinea, C. fallacina Klokov, and C. rhipidophylla Gand.) that are most common in Ukraine and are most o en used as raw materials
It was found that the species of the genus Crataegus native to the flora of Ukraine are characterized by spherical and ellipsoidal fruits. e species differ in fruit size, with lengths varying from 5–9 mm (C. laevigata) to 8–15 mm (C. rhipidophylla) (Figure 4) and widths varying from 4–6 mm (C. monogyna) to 7–9 mm (C. sanguinea) (Figure 5). e predominant color is fulvous/brown with different shades, but almost black fruits of the species C. pentagyna are well distinguished
Summary
Ere are more than a thousand species of the genus Crataegus L. worldwide. According to the Catalogue of Life (Roskov et al, 2019), there are 1,447 Latin names of hawthorn, which is the common name of the species in the genus. Comprehensive studies of species of the genus Crataegus for the purposes of taxonomy in Ukraine have been caried out over almost a century, but even currently there are a number of controversial issues due to the inherent hybridization of hawthorns and variability of features depending on environmental growth conditions. Erefore, a comparative analysis of the main diagnostic morphological and anatomical features of the fruits of model species of the genus Crataegus was undertaken in this study, and the results are provided below. E aim of this study was to identify and compare the diagnostic features of the fruits of seven species of the genus Crataegus (C. laevigata, C. monogyna, C. pentagyna, C. pseudokyrtostyla, C. sanguinea, C. fallacina Klokov, and C. rhipidophylla Gand.) that are most common in Ukraine and are most o en used as raw materials Five of these species exist naturally in the flora of Ukraine – Crataegus laevigata (Poir.) DC., C. monogyna Jacq., C. pentagyna Waldst. & Kit., C. pseudokyrtostyla Klok. (C. curvisepala Lindm.), and C. sanguinea Pall. (Mezhens′ka & Mezhens′kiĭ, 2013; Mosyakin & Fedoronchuk, 1999; SPU, 2014). is publication is the first in a series focused on the study of macro- and micromorphological features of raw organs of the genus Crataegus in Ukraine. e aim of this study was to identify and compare the diagnostic features of the fruits of seven species of the genus Crataegus (C. laevigata, C. monogyna, C. pentagyna, C. pseudokyrtostyla, C. sanguinea, C. fallacina Klokov, and C. rhipidophylla Gand.) that are most common in Ukraine and are most o en used as raw materials
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