Anatomical studies of Aegilops sp. (L.) (Poaceae) species of Iran

Anatomical differences between Iranian species of Aegilops can be used to separate morphologically similar species such as Ae. caudata and Ae. cylindrica, Ae. umbellulata and Ae. geniculata. Anatomical features like stomata subsidiary cells, degree of differentiation in mesophyll, presence of prickles, frequency of short cells in coastal and intercoastal parts, number of stomata rows, frequency of stomata and short cell per leaf area and some other characters are efficient in identification of closely related species as Ae. triuncialis, Ae. columnaris, Ae. kotschyii and Ae. neglecta. Leaf anatomical characters are very important in Aegilops taxonomy and could be applied in solving taxonomically problems of this genus.