COMPARATIVE ANATOMY IN SOME SPECIES OF PAPAVER L. (PAPAVERACEAE) IN IRAN AS TAXONOMICAL IMPLICATION

In this survey, basal leaf midrib region and peduncle anatomy of 15 species of the genus Papaver L. was studied. Species examined include Papaver argemone, P. bracteatum, P. chelidoniifolium, P. cylindricum, P. decaisnei, P. dubium, P. fugax, P. gaubae, P. glaucum, P. hybridum, P. macrostomum, P. orientale, P. pavoninum, P. persicum and P. tenuifolium. Among 27 anatomical characters examined (18 for midrib region and nine characters for peduncle), five characters in midrib region including midrib shape, presence of upper collenchyma, presence of sclerenchyma together with parenchyma layer, number of lateral vascular bundles and growth’s range of lateral vascular bundles and five characters in peduncle including peduncle shape, pattern of epidermis surface, presence of collenchyma in cortex, type of supporting tissue near vascular bundles and circles of vascular bundles are useful for separating the annual, biennial and  perennial species.