TAXONOMIC VALUE OF LEAF ANATOMY IN ORYZOPSIS MICHX. S. L. (POACEAE) SPECIES OF IRAN

The aim of this project is to find diagnostic characters from anatomical features for species separation in Oryzopsis s. l. in Iran. Leaf anatomical structures (dorsal epidermis and cross section at the middle of leaf) of 10 species from Oryzopsis s. l. were studied for the first time. In this research, 43 quantitative and qualitative characters in 23 populations were measured and evaluated. These characters were varied among species, but stable between specimens of one species. Observed variations were investigated using statistical methods (PCA, NJ, UPGMA). Factor analysis based on principle component analysis revealed that most variable characters among Oryzopsis s. l. species are the number and shape of short cells, long cells shape, form of long cells walls, situation of short cells, shape of bulliform cells, length and number of long cells, number of vascular bundles, radial differentiation in mesophyll, sclerification of inner bundle sheath cells, width of silica bodies, presence or absence of macrohairs in adaxial surface and shape of abaxial surface. In addition, an identification key using anatomical characters is presented for Oryzopsis s. l. species in Iran.