Anatomical studies on some endemic and rare geophytes of Liliaceae family

Abstract

In this study, anatomical studies are carried out on some geophytes, Scilla mesopotamica Speta, Tulipa aleppensis Boiss. ex Regel and Asphodeline damascena (Boiss.) Baker subsp. gigantea E. Tuzlaci, distributed in the vicinity Şanliurfa. Among them, S. mesopotamica and A damascena subsp. gigantea are local endemic, but T. aleppensis is a nonendemic which has a rare distribution. In addition, new suggestions are given to their threatened categories, regarding observations on population. In anatomical studies; transverse sections of roots and scapes, superficial and transverse cross-sections of leaves were examined. The similarities and differences among them were determined. Scape anatomical structures of S. mesopotamica and T. aleppensis generally resemble to each other. The scape of A damascena subsp. gigantea, different from the other two species. Leaves of S. mesopotamica and T. aleppensis are unifacial, whereas of A. damascena subsp. gigantea is ecvifacial type. There are raphide crystals in parenchyma cells of S. mesopotamica's roots, scape and leaves, and spherocrystals in epidermis cells of A. damascena subsp. gigantea's scape and leaves. No crystals were found in T. aleppensis.