Palyno-anatomical characters and their systematic significance in the family Apiaceae from Chitral, eastern Hindu Kush, Pakistan

The present study was performed to provide a detailed explanation of leaf epidermal anatomy and pollen micromorphological features of selected species of family Apiaceae from Chitral, eastern Hindu Kush region as the basis of forthcoming studies. In the present article pollen morphology of eight species and foliar epidermal of seven species of family Apiaceae have been examined through microscopic techniques. In results two types of pollen prolate (five species) and perprolate (three species) with three colpi have been recorded. The exine ornamentation was found to be regulate, striate, and cerebroid. Largest pollen was found in Heracleum leucocarpum with the polar diameter of 43.25 mu m and equatorial diameter of 21.6 mu m. Smallest pollen was observed in Elaeosticta chitralica with the polar diameter of 18.4 mu m. The P/E ratio varied from 1.59 to 2.16. Regarding to foliar epidermal anatomy, three types of epidermal cells including rectangular, irregular, and polygonal with variation in anticlinal wall pattern were determined. In the selected species three kinds of stomata comprising anisocytic, anomocytic, and paracytic type were reported in the current research. The size of epidermal cells ranged from 106 x 42.50 mu m in Bupleurum falcatum subsp. cernuum and 77.25 x 26.35 mu m in Prangos pabularia in adaxial surface. Largest stomatal complex was found in Prangos pabularia both in adaxial 33.55 x 20.05 mu m and abaxial 50.25 x 39.40 mu m. All the observed quantitative and qualitative features of the species were proved to be useful in the delimitation of species at generic and species level.