Seed morphology of 29 taxa including 9 subgenera belonging to the genus Veronica was compared using scanning electron microscopy to assess their diagnostic value for systematic studies. Subgenus Beccabunga is the largest in this study represented by nine taxa. Seed surface often varies from ridged reticulate or verrucose/granulate reticulate to rugose-reticulate. Seed color and size have limited taxonomic significance as their variation is uninformative. Thereagainst, seed shape and seed coat ornamentation present informative characters that can be used efficiently in distinguishing the studied taxa. Our seed features support the DNA sequence data in showing close relationships between V. biloba and V. campylopoda, and between V. fruticans and V. fruticulosa. The present study indicates that V. anagallis-aquatica, V. anagalloides, V. comosa, and V. catenata have more or less the same seed features; consequently, these four former species are most likely representing a single species as reported by earlier studies. Furthermore, V. polita and V. persica are very similar in terms of seed characteristics. Our results justify placement of V. peregina within subgenus Beccabunga and support the monophyly of the subgenus Veronica.

This study aims to investigate the morphology and ultrastructure characters of pollen grains and trichomes in order to evaluate their systematic value of these characters in specific and intraspecific separation of the Saudi Arabian Plectranthus species. A critical systematic revision of 7 species of Plectranthus (Lamiaceae) in Saudi Arabia was conducted by means of numerical analyses based on thirty-one morphological characters, including vegetative parts, seeds, pollen grains, and trichomes. Macro-and micro-morphological characters, including seed and pollen shape, size, coat sculpture, trichome structure, were studied. It reveals the presence of seven species, including two endemic species. The pollen grains were zonocolpate, hexacolpate, prolate to subprolate. Three types of exine ornamentation were recognized. Also, two trichome types could be distinguished and classified into glandular and non-glandular. The glandular trichomes could be distinguished as peltate, capitate and digitiform. The eglandular trichomes were single, uniseriate, multicellular. Pollen and trichome characters were found to be valuable, while seed characters presented only minor taxonomic value. On the basis of UPGMA clustering analysis four branches and clusters were distinguished. The results offer useful data for evaluating the taxonomy of Plectranthus both at subgeneric and sectional levels. Our results indicated some degree of similarity among the species of subgenus Burnatastrum. Plectranthus arabicus is considered as a separate group and may be treated as separate subgenus. Furthermore, the endemic species Plectranthus asirensis andPlectranthus hijazensis constitute a monophyletic group and there are close relationships between this group and Plectranthus tenuiflorus. A key for the identification of the investigated taxa based on studied characters is provided.

A comparative anatomical study of the Plectranthus species growing in Saudi Arabia by using light microscopy method in order to evaluate their diagnostic value for systematic studies. Macro- and micromorphological characters, including stem, leaf, petiole anatomical, and trichome structures are presented. Descriptions of stem shape in cross-section, epidermal cell shape, cortex, pith, vascular bundles, leaf shape in cross-section, mesophyll, types and distribution of trichomes are presented. Taxonomic phylogenetic implications of stem, leaf, and trichomes anatomical micromorphology are also discussed in comparison with the available gross morphological and molecular data. Results of the present study offer useful data for evaluating the taxonomy of Plectranthus both at subgeneric and sectional levels. Moreover, our results indicate some degree of similarity among the species of subgenus Germanea and support the monophyly of this subgenus. A remarkable result from this study was identifying P. arabicus with distinctive characters and suggesting that it should be treated as a separate subgenus. Likewise, distinguishing differences between closely related endemic species P. asirensis and P. hijazensis are offered, and should be conserved as a different subgenus. A key for the identification of the investigated taxa based on studied characters is provided. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:583-594, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The seed morphology of eight taxa of Cuscuta from Egypt has been studied using light and scanning electron microscopy, to determine the significance of seed coat features as taxonomic characters. Macro‐ and micromorphological characters, including seed shape, colour, size, epidermal cell shape, anticlinal boundaries, outer periclinal cell wall and relief of outer cell walls are presented. Three types of anticlinal cell wall boundaries are recognized and two different shapes of outer periclinal cell wall are described. The secondary sculpture of the cell wall varies from striate to micro‐reticulate, and smooth to fine folds. A key for the identification of the investigated taxa based on seed characters is provided. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)