Intraspecific Variability of Seed Morphology in Capparis Spinosa L.

Abstract

Morphological description of seeds is a required step for analysis of biodiversity in natural populations and may give clues to adaptive strategies in species evolution. A cardioid is the curve described by a point of one circumference rolling around another circumference of equal radius. Models based on adjustment of seed shape with cardioid curves have been described for Arabidopsis thaliana and the model legumes Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula. In this work the model is applied to analyze seed morphology in populations of two subspecies of Capparis spinosa growing in Tunisia. Adjustment of seed images to cardioid curves, followed by statistical analysis of similarity in the complete images as well as in each of four quadrants, allows an accurate description of seed shape. The results show differences in morphology between subspecies. Seeds of subsp. rupestris present higher diversity of shape than seeds of subsp. spinosa. This may indicate primitiveness of C. subsp. rupestris seeds, associated with nonspecialization. The results are discussed in relation to the ecological strategies of both subspecies in their evolution.K Ke ey y w wo or rd ds s: : Adaptation, biodiversity, cardioid curve, ecology, morphometry, Capparis spinosa. ACTA BIOLOGICA CRACOVIENSIA Series Botanica 55

Antidiabetic Attributes of Desert and Steppic Plants: A Review

“…Mice treated with the volatile oil of A. herba-alba showed significant hypoglycemia, and the high blood glucose levels of alloxantreated diabetic rats significantly decreased subsequent to injecting the oily extract [35]. The genus Capparis (Capparidaceae or Capparaceae) includes more than 250 species and has a wide distribution, particularly covering the Atlantic coasts from the Canary Islands and Morocco to the Black Sea and Armenia [36]. The species Capparis spinosa L. is a semiarid, drought tolerant perennial shrub, largely distributed throughout the Mediterranean Sea basin.…”

Using genetic structure data and phylogenetic criteria in attributing prioritization scores for conservation of spontaneous Capparis spinosa L. populations from Tunisia

“…Thus, C. spinosa is actually represented by scattered populations with only few individuals in few localities (Saadaoui, Guetat, Tlili, El Gazzah, & Khaldi, 2011). The latter is mainly due to the increasing anthropogenic pressures (overexploitation, habitat destruction) which have led to the degradation of the majority of wild populations.…”

Genetic Diversity of Some Capparis L. Species Growing in Syria

“…spinosa and subsp. rupestris (Sm) Nyman (Saadaoui et al 2013). Inocencio et al 2005;, using molecular analysis, subdivided the genus Capparis into ten species in Central and Western Asia, North Africa and Europe.…”