The anatomical characterestics and their taxonomy importance of Some Species of Salsola L.(Chenopodiaceae) in Iraq.

Abstract

The anatomical features of stems and leaves of six species of Salsola have been studied. These species include S.canscence(Moq.) Bossi,S.crassa Bieb.,S.imbricata Forssk. . S.jordanicola Eig. ,S.kali L. and S.vermiculata L.The results were showed that some characters have a great role in separating at these taxa such as blade shape and presence and absence of hypodermis cells. Blade shape is semicircular in most species but cordate to triangular in S.imbricata and S.kali.The hypodermis cells were present in S.imbricata and S.vermiculata and absent in the remaining species. The anatomical characters of stem have significance in the separation of these taxa. Differences were showed up in the stem diameter among species and chlorenchyma layer which is present only in S.kali as acomparative with remaining species. Undifferentiated vasicular cylindrical thickness and xylem thickness have significant value in the separation of these taxa as well obseval .