The morphology of hairs in species of Plantago L. Sections: Leucopsyllium Decne and Hymenopsyllium Pilger

Abstract

The hairs of the following representatives of the genus Plantago were studied: Plantago ovata Forsk., P. hookeriana Fisch. et Mey. (sectio Leucopsyllium Decne) and P. bellardii All. (sectio Hymenopsyllium Pilger). The occurrence of 3 types of headed hairs and 4 types of headless hairs was observed. P. bellardii is characterized by the presence of hairs with an unicellular, flask-shaped head and a four-celled stalk on a calyx and bract. Until now this type of hair has not been described in the representatives of the genus Plantago. The presence of appendices joining particular cells of the hair is the common feature of the studied taxa, which at present seems to distinguish the above-mentioned sections from other sections of the genus Plantago. The results of our study, similarly as the chemotaxonomic studies of Gorenf1ot and Bourdu (1962) confirm Pilger's accuracy in excluding P. bellardii from the sectio Leucopsyllium and formation of a distinct sectio Hymenopsyllium Pilger.

Keywords

• genus Plantago L.
• sectio Leucopsyllium Decne
• sectio Hymenopsyllium Pilger
• hairs
• scanning electron microscopy