Taxonomic Study of the Genus Phlomis L. (Lamiaceae) in Iraq Based on Trichome and Palynological Characters

Abstract

The current investigationincluded a comparative morphological study of the pollen grains of some Phlomis L species distributed in Iraq, as well as study of the Indumentum for species. The pollen grains and trichomes were examined under light and scanning electron microscope. The results showed that there is a limited variability in the characteristics of the pollen grains of the studied species, where the pollen grains were 3-zonocolpate, prolate-subprolate in the shape and the pattern of sculpture (ornamentation) grain surface was reticulate in all species under study, However, the present study showed variability in the dimensions of the pollen grains within the polar and equatorial view. There was also a contrast in indumentum characteristics, and each of these characteristics had a good taxonomic significance to distinguish between the species under study. The results of the current study were found to be taxonomic support to the morphological evidence.
Keywords: Pollen grain, Phlomis, Lamiaceae, Indumentums.