A morphological and anatomical study on Anchusa leptophylla Roemer & Schultes (Boraginaceae) distributed in the Black Sea region of Turkey

Abstract

The morphological and anatomical characteristics of Anchusa leptophylla Roemer & Schultes subsp. leptophylla and A. leptophylla subsp. incana (Ledep) Chamb. (Boraginaceae), which are distributed in the Black Sea region, were investigated. The morphological features of various organs of the plant such as the stem, flower, and fruit are given in detail. Features related to characteristics of the leaf and calyx were found to be important in separating the subtaxa morphologically. The shape of leaves is usually linear-lanceolate in A. leptophylla subsp. incana, while it is linear in subsp. leptophylla. In anatomical studies, cross-sections of the root, stem, and leaf parts, and the surface sections of the leaves of both subspecies were examined. The root is perennial. However, it was noted in A. leptophylla subsp. leptophylla that the periderm layer was thicker than in subsp. incana. The leaves are equifacial and have stomata cells that are anomocytic. The numbers of lower and upper parenchyma layers vary in the examined taxa. The mean number of stomata on the lower surfaces was higher than that on the upper one. © TÜBİTAK.