TRICHOME MICROMORPHOLOGY OF SILENE (CARYOPHYLLACEAE) SPECIES IN IRAN

A comparative trichrome micromorphological study of 24 Silene species representing eight sections, was made using light and scanning electron microscopy. To check the consistency of trichome types on different parts of a certain species, micromorphological studies were focused on stem, leaf and calyx surface. Two basic types of trichomes were distinguished: glandular and non-glandular. Two different subtypes were recognized within the non-glandular type representing unbranched non-glandular and branched non-glandular trichomes. The study shows that although trichomes are not useful in delimiting Silene sections, they provide a set of reliable characters for separation of species within sections. The presence or absence of trichomes, and trichome types could be used as diagnostic character for identification of some species.