Quantitative anatomical characteristics of some species of the genus Crataegus L. (Rosaceae) of the Armenian flora

A study of the quantitative anatomical features of the leaf blades’ epidermis belonging to six species of the genus Crataegus in the flora of Armenia was conducted. The species treated belong to the subsect. Pentagynae Series Pentagynae (Crataegus pentagyna Waldst. et Kit., C. × zangezura Pojark.) and subsect. Crataegus Series Ambiguae (Crataegus meyeri Pojark., C. rhipidophylla Gand., C. pseudoheterophylla Pojark., C. × armena Pojark.). Microscopic samples of leaf blade fragments were prepared according to the Russian State Pharmacopeia XV. The leaf surface samples were observed with the light microscope. For comparative quantitative studies of stomatal apparatus parameters, the site in the middle third of the leaf blade between its margin and the central vein was taken. The quantity and size of CaC۲O۴ idioblasts, simple unicellular hairs, the stalk, and head of the gland were determined. Statistical analysis performed in the IBM SPSS Statistics program. We used Student's criterion for calculations with the critical significance level taken as ۰.۰۵. We examined pairwise statistical relationships between the studied quantitative characteristics using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The stomata of both hybrids were significantly smaller in terms of length, width, and area than those of their parental forms. The gland heads in hybrids were significantly smaller in terms of length, width, and area than those of their parental forms. The average sizes of druzes and crystals CaC۲O۴ are almost identical across the species studied. Simple unicellular pointed sinuous thick-walled hairs found only in the epidermis of Crataegus meyeri, C. rhipidophylla, and C. × armena. Crataegus × armena had significantly more of these hairs, and they were significantly longer than those of the parental forms.

کلیدواژه ها:

Armenian flora ، Anatomy ، Crataegus ، idioblasts ، leaf anatomy ، Trichomes ، stomatal apparatus