NUTLET MICRO-MORPHOLOGY IN SCUTELLARIA L. (LAMIACEAE) IN IRAN

Nutlet micromorphology of 14 taxa of Scutellaria of subgenera Scutellaria (sects. Scutellaria and Anaspis) andApe/tanthus (sect. Lupulinaria) in Iran was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Nutlet surfacesculpturing varies prominently among species within two subgenera and this is mostly congruent with the latestsubgenric classification of the genus. However some differences were observed among species in some sections.Five nutlet types were identified: Type I, papillate with sessile glands among the papillae (subgenus Seutel/aria sect.Scutellaria: Sc. galerieulata). Type 11. papillate, papillae circular with concave apex. (subgenus Scutellaria sectionScutel/aria: Sc. toumefortiis. Type III. Nutlet surface papillate, papillae with obtuse to acute apex, more or lessfinger like (subgenus Scutellaria, section Anaspis: Scutellaria ariana). Type IV, nutlet surface with flattened orapical depressed papillae, with adpressed and patent hairs partially covering the surface, concentrated near thepapillae apices. (subgenus Scutellaria: Sc. condensata subsp. condensata and subsp pycnomcha and Sc. velcnovskyisubsp. subsimilis). Type V, surface densely hairy with stellate or long simple hairs (sect. Lupulinaria: Sc. araxensis.Sc. farsistanica. Sc. litwinowii. Sc. luteo-eoerulea, Sc. multicaulis. Sc. pinnatifida, Se. platystegia. Sc. theobromineand Sc. tomentosa..