Micromorphology of fruits and seeds of Iranian Geranium (Geraniaceae), and its systematic significance

The fruit and seed micromorphology of 22 species of Geranium, representing the eight sections of the genus represented in Iran (G. sectt. Dissecta, Geranium, and Tuberosa of subgen. Geranium; sectt. Batrachioidea, Divaricata, Lucida, Ruberta and Trilopha of subgen. Robertium), have been examined by...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Nordic journal of botany Vol. 33; no. 6; pp. 673 - 683
Main Authors:	Salimi Moghadam, Narjes, Saeidi Mehrvarz, Shahryar, Ahmadian Namin, Ania, Shavvon, Robabeh Shahi
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-12-2015 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
Subjects:	cell walls color fruits Geranium microstructure scanning electron microscopy Seeds testa Iran
Online Access:	Get full text
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Summary:	The fruit and seed micromorphology of 22 species of Geranium, representing the eight sections of the genus represented in Iran (G. sectt. Dissecta, Geranium, and Tuberosa of subgen. Geranium; sectt. Batrachioidea, Divaricata, Lucida, Ruberta and Trilopha of subgen. Robertium), have been examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Macro‐ and micromorphological characters, including fruit and seed shape, size, color, hair type and density, mericarp ornamentations, hilum position, seed coat pattern, epidermal cell shape, and anticlinal and periclinal cell walls, are presented. Two microsculpturing patterns are recognized on the mericarp surface: reticulate and pusticulate. The micromorphology of the seed coat showed four distinctive cell patterns. The seed epidermis is constructed either of polygonal, elongated polygonal, or square to rectangular cells. The polygonal type is the most common among the studied species, but the variation in testa cell characters, their size and shape, may provide further information and useful diagnostic characters at specific and infraspecific rank. The shape and color of the seeds are, however, of little systematic value. Fruit characters were found to be important for separating taxa at infrageneric rank and our results show that the species can be separated into subgenera and sections based on fruit morphology.
Bibliography:	http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/njb.00859 istex:445AFDBFB09934CD46AEA89B7ABF59F934B04099 ark:/67375/WNG-2KBF42XZ-S ArticleID:NJB859 Data deposited at Dryad: doi 10.5061/dryad.h1n71
ISSN:	0107-055X 1756-1051
DOI:	10.1111/njb.00859