TAXONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF LEAF CHARACTERS IN SOME SPECIES OF APIACEAE

摘要

Leaf sur face morphology of 13 species belonging to 10 genera of family Apiaceae is examined will) Light microscope (LM) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM). Trichome type, epidermal cells, stomata, and cuticular ornamentation revealed several interesting epidermal features that have not previously been reported in the family. Three types of cuticular ornamentation are recorded: favulariale, striate and wrinkled. Stomata are mostly diacytic. Trichome type has been found to be of great diagnostic value in the studied species. The study of the leaf epidermal surface of the studied species of Apiaceae exposed a number of important micro-morphological characters, and these characters show evidence of interesting specific variations that are significance for identification.