LEAF ANATOMY OF ARTEMISIA (ASTERACEAE) IN IRAN AND ITS TAXONOMIC IMPLICATIONS

Altogether 28 species of Artemisia were used in anatomical studies in order to introduce the most important anatomical features of them and their possible taxonomic applications. According to leaf sections, three groups are detectable which differ in their midrib shape, its position in relation to lamina and length and number of veins in each lamina half, which is in agreement with leaf morphology, in addition hygrophyte and xerophyte species are distinguishable. Using anatomical characters one can put some species in complexes which are close to each other in morphological features. Species of complexes of A. aucheri, A. sieberi and A. kopetdaghensis have common features which support the close relationship of them.