Manuscript Title:

TAXONOMIC IMPLEMENTATION OF ROOT ANATOMY IN IDENTIFICATION OF SOME SELECTED LAMIACEAE TAXA

Author:

JAVERIA MAJEED, SHABNUM SHAHEEN, SANA KHALID, MARYYAM FATIMA

DOI Number:

DOI:10.5281/zenodo.12205054

Published : 2024-06-23

About the author(s)

1. JAVERIA MAJEED - Department of Botany, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan.
2. SHABNUM SHAHEEN - Department of Botany, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan.
3. SANA KHALID - Department of Botany, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan.
4. MARYYAM FATIMA - Department of Botany, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan.

Full Text : PDF

Abstract

The present research work focuses the important root anatomical features of 15 medicinally important species of Lamiaceae with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) which are helpful in differentiation and identification of plant species. Various anatomical characteristics were measured in root including periderm, cortex, Endodermis, vascular cylinder, xylem elements, vessels and tracheieds, phloem strand, pith cells, pith rays and root hairs. Root anatomy in the Lamiaceae family exhibits distinctive features that set it apart from other plant families. Mentha haplocalyx L. had 1-2, Coleus scutellaroides (L.) Benth. Showed 2-3 and Tectona grandis L.f. showed 3-4 layered periderm. Origanum vulgare L. had the maximum 15-19 layers of periderm. The maximum length of peridermal cells were observed in Stachys bazantina K.Koch. Ranged from 29-38.5 µm and the minimum layers of peridermal cells were seen in Galeopsis tetrahit L. ranged from 5-11 µm. The maximum width of peridermal cells was observed in Ocimum basilicum L. ranged from 28- 32.5µm and the minimum width of peridermal cells was observed in Colebrookea opppositifolia Sm. ranged from 6.5-10µm. Thymus vulgaris L. had maximum 30-32 cortex layers and Coleus scutellaroides (L.) Benth. Had minimum 3-6 cortex layers. The maximum thickening of the cortex was observed in Mentha piperata L. ranged from 39.5-42.5 µm and the minimum thickening of the cortex cells was observed in 7-10 µm. Mostly polygonal to rectangular shaped parenchyma cells were seen in Ajuga reptans L. Whereas circular and polygonal shaped mostly pentagonal shaped parenchyma cells were seen in Colebrookea opppositifolia Sm. and irregular to polygonal shaped parenchyma cells were seen in Coleus scutellaroides (L.) Benth. These anatomical revelations, encompassing vascular arrangement, tissue organization, and specialized cell types, serve as pivotal markers for taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships within the family.


Keywords

Lamiaceae; Parenchyma Cells; Vascular Cylinder Diameter; Phloem Strand; Pith Rays.