Seed morphology and testa ultrastructure in Alliumstipitatum complex (Amaryllidaceae; Allioideae) and their systematic significance

Background and Aims Macro- and micro-morphology of seeds are diagnostic characteristics of importance in delimiting taxa in Allium (Amaryllidaceae). However, there is no consensus on phylogenetic significance of testa cell characteristics and whether they reflect different evolutionary levels recognized in Allium. Methods The seeds of 95 species (98 samples) representing 15 subgenera and 58 sections of Allium were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for such traits as periclinal wall surface area of ten testa cells, distance between testa cells (macro-morphology), testa cell shapes, arrangement and structure of anticlinal and periclinal walls (micro-morphology). The data matrix was subjected to cladistic analysis. The produced phylogenetic tree was examined against the molecular tree obtained from publically available ITS sequences. Key Results The periclinal wall surface area of ten testa cells and the distance between them, examined for the first time, were found useful for delimitation of species in Allium. Based on seed macro- and micro-morphology, we present a taxonomic key and a hypothetical reconstruction of the migration routes during the early stages of evolution of Allium. Conclusions The ancestors of Allium originated in an area bounded by the Caucasus, Central Asia and Iran. The seed testa morphology-based evolutionary state of a species is determined by two parameters: the shape of the periclinal walls and curvature of the anticlinal walls.

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Seed macro- and micromorphology in Allium (Amaryllidaceae) and its phylogenetic significance

Yusupov

Ergashov

Volis

et al. 2022

Annals of Botany

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Seed morphological diversity of Egyptian Allium L. (Amaryllidaceae) and its taxonomic significance

Nour,

Osman,

Hamdy

et al. 2024

Acta bot. Croat. (Online)

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Allium L. (Amaryllidaceae, Allioideae, Allieae) has disputed generic delimitation and species boundaries, compounded by the proliferation of the species' synonyms. This study provides for the first time a comprehensive description of the seed morphology of native, endemic, and near-endemic species in Egypt and addresses the significance of seed traits for infrageneric classification. Twenty-two Allium taxa belonging to four subgenera and six sections were investigated using fresh or dry materials from their mature seeds. Thirty-eight quantitative and qualitative traits of the seeds' dorsal and ventral sides were investigated using stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Statistical and multivariate analyses were performed. This work provides the first description of the seeds of 13 Allium taxa, including A. artemisietorum Eig & Feinbrun, A. barthianum Asch. & Schweinf., A. blomfieldianum Asch. & Schweinf., A. crameri Asch. & Boiss., A. desertorum Forssk., A. erdelii Zucc., A. mareoticum Bornm. & Gauba, A. papillare Boiss., A. roseum subsp. tourneuxii Boiss., A. sativum L., A. sinaiticum Boiss., A. spathaceum Steud. ex A.Rich., and A. trifoliatum Cirillo. This study reports for the first time a comparative investigation of dorsal seed surface traits against ventral traits, revealing conspicuous differences for most species and highlighting the most informative diagnostic seed traits for distinguishing taxa. Allium subg. Allium L. has a broader range of variation than any of the other subgenera.

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Allium turcicum Subsp. Fusciflorum (Amaryllidaceae), a New Taxon in Sect. Codonoprasum from Turkey

Çeçen,

Akan,

Geçit

et al. 2024

Annales Botanici Fennici

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Seed morphology and testa ultrastructure in Alliumstipitatum complex (Amaryllidaceae; Allioideae) and their systematic significance

Cited by 3 publications

References 16 publications

Seed macro- and micromorphology in Allium (Amaryllidaceae) and its phylogenetic significance

Seed macro- and micromorphology in Allium (Amaryllidaceae) and its phylogenetic significance

Seed morphological diversity of Egyptian Allium L. (Amaryllidaceae) and its taxonomic significance

Allium turcicum Subsp. Fusciflorum (Amaryllidaceae), a New Taxon in Sect. Codonoprasum from Turkey

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