Comparative Anatomical Study of Some Species of Genus Salsola L. (Chenopodiaceae) in Iraq

Abstract

The present study dealt with the anatomical characteristics of 7 species of the genus Salsola L. which belongs to the Chenopodiaceae family, and these species were: Salsola baryosma (Schult.) Dandy; Salsola canesens subsp. Serpeutinicola ; Salsola crassa M.B. ; Salsola jordanicola Elg. ; Salsola pseudonitraria Aellen et Rechf. ; Salsola vermiculata L. ; Salsola volkensii Schwelne. et Aschers.; The anatomical characters of the stem and leaves have been studied and connected with the photosynthetic pathways of the studied species. The study cleared that all the species belong to the C4 plants for the presence of Kranz anatomy in their blade; the species leaves were succulent and sessile the blade were un-winged in the cross section; the mesophyll distinguished to a circular palisade layer below the epidermis and a centric spongy layer ; the midrib was undifferentiated ;as well as of the presence of non- glandular hairs on the species ,except the specie Salsola vermiculata L. which had glandular hairs in addition to the non -glandular hairs.