MICROMORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF GLUME DIVERSITY OF CYPERACEAE IN WESTERN HIMALAYAN REGION OF PAKISTAN

Abstract

Cyperaceae is cosmopolitan in distribution and widely distributed in western Himalayan regions of Pakistan, but limited studies have been conducted on identification & classification of family at both molecular and morphological perspective. In this study western Himalayan region of Pakistan were explored to collect species previously not studied and submitted to Pakistan Museum of Natural History for future use. 20 species were selected from collection and different quantitative & qualitative parameters were studied. Eight micromorphological features of specimens that includes glume shape, glume length, glume width, presence or absence of arista, glume color, midrib width, midrib color and detailed surface of glume; of these specimens were observed under light microscope and scanning electron microscope.  These species showed 12 types of glume shape and great variation in color of both glume and midrib. Similarly, length and width of glume has wide range, and two types (Narrow, Broad) of midrib were observed in this study. Arista was present in most of species and were absent in only few species. On basis of this study, it can be said that glume morphology can be great help in correct differentiation of morphological identical species that looks similar but distinct. These results can play major role in identification of said region species at morphological level.