An Anatomical Study of the Genus Psephellus (Asteraceae) from Flora of Iran

Abstract The present study deals with leaf and stem anatomical survey of 10 species of the genus Psephellus (Asteraceae) from flora of Iran. After collecting and identifying the specimens, leaf and stem cross sections were prepared by hand and best sections were taken for staining and light microscope studies. In this survey, various anatomical traits such as the number of vascular bundles of stem, the number of chlorenchyma and collenchyma bundles of stem, the shape of the cross section of stem, the shape of epidermal cells, the type of stomata, the type of trichomes of stem and leaf and the presence or absence of cuticle or cortex were carefully examined. It is found that the number of vascular bundles and the type of trichomes are the most outstanding anatomical evidences. The current results revealed that leaf and stem anatomical traits in the genus Psephellus were taxonomically informative criteria and confirmed the previous classification of genus. Finally, the key for species and sections of the studied genus from flora of Iran were prepared based on anatomical characters.