Nutlet morphology of Turkish Ziziphora L. (Lamiaceae)

Abstract

The genus Ziziphora L. (Lamiaceae) consists of annual herbs, except Ziziphora clinopodioides, and is represented by six taxa in the Flora of Turkey: Z. clinopodioides, Ziziphora capitata, Ziziphora persica, Ziziphora tenuior, Ziziphora taurica subsp. taurica and Ziziphora taurica subsp. cleonioides. They are strongly aromatic herbs and used as herbal teas and spices and for this reason they are important medicinal plants. Nutlet morphology of six taxa of Turkish Ziziphora species was studied using stereoscopic and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and detailed description of nutlet morphological features for all examined taxa is provided and illustrated. Typical nutlets are usually oblong. The surface sculpturing is slightly papillae. Seed coat is composed of rounded or irregular polygonal cells which are undulate-ribbed in the margins. There is no knowledge about nutlet features of Ziziphora species in the Flora of Turkey. The unknown these nutlet features are given first time in here as detail.