Fatemeh Rabizadeh, Hassan Zare-Maivan, Shahrokh Kazempour,
Volume 6, Issue 2 (8-2019)
Abstract
Astragalus semnanensis Bornm. & Rech. belongs to sect. Semnanensis, of thorny astragali and A. fridae, of non-thorny astragali, belongs to sect. Incani are the only endemic gypsophyllic species in western Semnan. The morphological and systematical studies available on these two species are scarce. Nor have the anatomical, distribution and adaptive capabilities in relation to soil and elevation of these species been investigated yet. Therefore, this study is aimed to comparatively investigate these features. The effect of soil and elevation on the anatomy, morphology and micro-morphology of the leaves of both species, as well as associated plant species, were analyzed using RDA and CCA analytical methods, Canoco 4.5 software. Comparison of RDA analysis of both species indicated that gypsum had the highest effect on the abundance of both species, while elevation had a strongly positive correlation with A. fridae and a negative correlation with A. semnanensis. Both species adsorb gypsum on their epidermis and part of the gypsum absorbed is accumulated in leaf parenchyma cells as calcium sulfate crystals. Adaptability of leaf surface is in the form of long and dense hairs which, in A. semnanensis, are longer and basifixed and, in A. fridae, thicker and medifixed. Increase in soil Ec and Na, K and Mg content and content of CaCO3 reduce both species abundances. Species such as Acantholimon cymosum and Prunus lycioides were found to be associated with A. semnanensis and species such as Moltkia gypsaceae and Euphorbia gypsicola with A. fridae.
Dr. Fatemeh Rabizadeh, Dr. Farzane Bahadori,
Volume 11, Issue 2 (8-2024)
Abstract
Iran, having about 79 species of the genus Lamiaceae, is one of the regions of origin of this genus. About 77% of the identified species of the mentioned genus in Iran have been registered as exclusive species. There is an Iranian Nepeta species, which was previously taken as a separate species in botanical reference sources, but has been reclassified as a variety of Nepeta kotschyi in the flora of Iran (Jamzad, 2012). In this research, the correctness of the taxonomic position of these two species by examining their various morphological and micromorphological traits such as plant height, leaf size, canopy, type of hairs and nuts, using stereo electron microscope (SEM) photos and SPSS statistical studies. The results of morphological and microstructural studies of the two species N. persica and N. kotschyi showed that there is a significant difference in the characteristics such as the shape of the leaf, the hairs of its apertures and also the height of the two species. Although these differences in the size and shape of the seeds were not clearly observed, in this study, both N. kotschyi and N. persica species had reticulated nuts with papilus. Also, the appearance of the long hairs on the leaves of the two species is completely different. The hairs in N. persica species have papilus, but the hairs in N. persica species have a smooth surface. Therefore, it was suggested that the two species are independent.
