Taxonomic utilization of anatomical characters in tribe Andropogoneae (Poaceae) based on transverse sections of leaves

Abstract

In the present investigations, 13 species of grasses belonging to 10 genera of tribe Andropogoneae (Poaceae) were collected from salt range area of Pakistan. The purpose of the study is to identify and differentiate the grasses on the basis of leaf anatomical characters, at the specific and generic level within the tribe. Variations are observed in different characters of T.S. of leaf (presence and absence of sclerenchyma girders or strands, ribs, furrows and prickles adaxially and abaxially in different species), which are valuable in taxonomy and identification and differentiation of grasses of tribe Andropogoneae. The studies showed thatDicanthium foveolatum and Saccharum spontaneum are differentiated by anchor shaped abaxial and anchor shaped sclerenchyma girders, while the presence of large air spaces in the mesophyll of S. spontaneum and Vetiveria zizanoidesmakes them distinct from other species of the tribe. Bulliform cells in irregular and fan shaped groups and radial arrangement of chlorenchyma cells around the vascular bundles is the characteristic of all the species of the tribe, showing panicoid type of leaf with kranz type of anatomy. It is concluded that anatomical characters of leaves in tribe Andropogoneae are used as taxonomic markers at generic and specific level. Key words: Taxonomic utilization, anatomical characters, tribe Andropogoneae.