SYSTEMATIC STUDIES OF FAMILY BERBERIDACEAE

Abstract

The present study was catTied out to analyze comparative morphology, leaves epidelmal anatomy and palynology of 10 species of genus Berberisof family Berberidaceae from Pakistan. A reasonable variation was observed both in qualitative as well as quantitative aspects in comparative morphology, leaf epidelmal anatomy and palynology and among the investigated species. All the studied species were shmbs varies in height from 2 to 5meter. Epidermal micro-morphological characters were studied through light microscope. Considerable variation in cell wall pattem, epidelmal cells and types of stomata were observed. Epidermal cell shape varies both on adaxial as well as abaxial surface from irregular to polygonal and oval to polygonal shape. Cell wall pattem was observed with great variation and most of the species possess straight to curved wall pattem. Among the conspicuous characters one was stomatal presence or absence.Berberis aitshisonii and Berberis baluchistanica was observed having stomata on both adaxial and abaxial surfaces while the rest of the species were recorded having stomata only on adaxial surface. Ouf of IO studied species, 6 possess paracytic type of stomata while rest of the species has anomocytic and anisocytic type of stomata. Two types of stomatal aperture were noted in the investigated species. Spindle type of apelture was in 5 species and the rest of the 5 were with eleptic type.Palynologically lOBerberis speciesfrom family Berberidaceae were studied, analyzed and documented in which Berberis aitchisonii, Berberis calliobotrys Berberis glaucocarpa, Berberis chitria and Berberis parkeriana were studied first time from Pakistan. For each pollen grain, morphological features such as pollen shape, size, presence or absence of colpi, colpi length and width, exine thickness and polar-equatorial ratio were investigated. Variation was seen in all above mention characters in pollen morphology of the studied species. The most conspicuous and common character was the presence of colpi, varies from tricolpate to pantacolpate.