Annals of Agric. Sci., Moshtohor ISSN 1110-0419 Vol. 55(2) (2017), 287- 302 http://annagricmoshj.com Comparative Botanical Studies on Some Trifoliate Plants Belonging to the Subfamily Faboideae in Egypt Hamza, M.K.(1), Sahar, F. El-Hefnawy(2), El-Taher, A. M.(1) and Shahinaz, El-Shahat(1) (1) Dept. of Agricultural Botany, Fac. of Agric., Al-Azhar Univ., Cairo, Egypt. (2) Dept. of Biological and Environmental Science, Fac. of Home Economic Al-Azhar Univ., Tanta. Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract Papilionoideae (Faboideae) is the largest subfamily in the family Leguminosae. The study occure on some trifoliate species belonging to this subfamily .The investigations include the morphological characters of the vesgetative organs(stems and leaves) beside the micromorphological features obtained from the examinations of the leaflets epidermis (cell walls shape,trichomes forms, stomatal types and the precense or absence of oxalate crystals) .Also the study includes floral aspects and the type and shapes of fruits and seeds. Keywords: Stem, leaves, flowers, stomata, fruits, seeds, Faboideae , morphology Introduction Leaf of Erythrina is -blade, in front view, epidermis with predominance of branched and The subfamily Papilionoideae (Faboideae) is the glandular trichomes and paracytic and anisocytic largest subfamily in the Leguminosea which stomata on both surfaces. In the adaxial surface, comprises over 13,800 species, many of which are epidermal cells on the veins had prismatic crystals on important as food crops Miller et al. (2011). Habit of their interior. The anticlinal walls of epidermal cells Psoralea is perennial herbs and subshrubs; habit of are sinuous on both surfaces leaf-blade presented Phaseolus vulgaris is annual herbs, Meikle (1985). branched trichomes with uniseriate stems Márcia et Habit of Cajanus cajan is shrub habit of Melilotus al.(2013). indica is herb with apubescent biennial, habit of Iflorescence of Melilotus is racemes white with Trigonella foenum-graceum is annual herb, Gupta bluish-purple tipped wings and keel, 3-6 mm. Ovary (2010). Habit of Melilotus was annual or biennial narrowly ovate with two ovules. Legume ovoid, 3-5 herbs, sparse to glabrescent. Stems erect, terete, mm, puberulent, with longitudinal ridges. The seed- stipules falcate , entire. Leaves trifoliate; petiole surface ornamentation was smooth in M. albus, slender, usually Leaflets obovate, margins shallowly papillatein M. sulcatus, granulate in M. elegansand serrated And important family Papilionaceac were striate in M. indicus. The hilum was elliptic. The eaten as vegetable as in Phaseolus vulgaris and seed coat ornamentation was tuberculate-rugose. Cajanus cajan ,Dolichos lablab and Cyamopsis Seeds 2, dark brown to dark green in color, globose tetragonoloba ,Trigonella Foenum-graecum ,Vigna to obovoid, papillate. The pollen grains of M. bicolor sinensis and used as fodder as in Cyamopsis were 98% trizono colporate, 2% syncolporate and tetragonoloba ,Melilotus indica , Medicago sativa , were isopolar and radially symmetrical. Their shape Trifolium alexandrinum and Trifolium resupinatum was subprolate. The colpi was long and narrow with and used oil for cooking and. Pandey 2004. clear margins. Pores are elongate or circular. The Stomata were anomocytic and the guard cells aperture membrane was granulate. The pollen in M. were surrounded by 3, 4 or rarely 5 subsidiary cells. indicus is tricolporate, subprolate-prolate and the They were found on both surfaces, but the upper sculpture was micro reticulate. Pollen grains in M. Epidermis had fewer stomata Özbek et al. (2014). albus, M. sulcatus, M. siculus Begum et al. (2014). Aanomocytic stomata in Phaseolus vulgaris bears Pollen grains of Coronilla scorpiodes are colporate anisocytic stomata, Erythrina indica, Phaseolus and striate-rugulate ornamentation Diez and mungo, lineate bears only paracytic stomata. Ferguson (1996). Pollen grains of Papilionoideae are Melilotus alba, Melilotus indica, bear both anisocytic in monads Takhtajan (2009). Pollen grains of and anomocytic stomata. Leaf of Erythrina is -blade, Ebenus had tricolpate apertures, circular in polar in front view, epidermis with predominance of view, with shallow colpi, and lumina of the reticulum branched and glandular trichomes and paracytic and sharply Ghanavatiet et al. (2011). anisocytic stomata on both surfaces. In the adaxial The present study occur on 19 genera with 37 surface, epidermal cells on the veins had prismatic species are trifoliate plants belonging to the crystals on their interior. The anticlinal walls of subfamily Faboideae (Papilionoideae).The epidermal cells are sinuous on both surfaces leaf- investigations including stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, blade presented branched trichomes with uniseriate and seeds the characters of these organs recorded stems Tripathi and Mondal (2012) comparatively for each species. 288 Shahinaz Elshahat Ahmed et al. Aim of the work Azhar University, Nasr city, Cairo, Egypt. The plant This study aims to clear the inter samples were obtained from eight different locations relationships of between these studied samples, by as shown in (Table1). The plant contained 37 using a numerical analysis program to reach to this species, representing 19 genera belonging to the purpose. subfamiliy Faboideae , all with trifoliate leaves. The identification of the collected plants were achieved Materials and Methods by comparing their morphological characters with those of the previously identificated plants as Materials: published by Täckholm (1974) and Boulos (1999) This work was carried out in the Department of Agricultural Botany, Faculty of Agriculture, Al- Table 1. Alphabetical list of (37) species, representing (19) genera belong to subfamiliy Faboideae. The studied samples were obtained from eight Egyptian places from various locations. These locations are: C. = Cairo university herbarium; I.= Ismaalia Governerate; N.= Nasr city Cairo; Q.= Qalubia Governerate; R.= Orman Garden (Giza); and S.= Areysh North Sainai . No. Species Source 1 Argyrolobium abyssinicum Jaub. & Spach. C 2 Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. N 3 Coronilla scorpiodes (L.)W.D. J. Koch. C 4 Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub. N 5 Dolichos lablab L. R 6 Ebenus armitagei Schweinf . & Taub. C 7 Erythrina caffra Thunb. G 8 E. corallodendron L. R 9 Glycine max (L.) Merr. I 10 Medicago arabica (L.) Huds. C 11 M. constricta (Durieu) Ponert C 12 M. intertexta (L.) Miller C 13 M. littoralis Rohde ex.Lois. C 14 M. minima (L.) Bart C 15 M. orbicularis (L.) Bartal S 16 M. polymorpha L. C 17 M. sativa L. Q 18 Melilotus elegans Salzm ex.Ser. S 19 M. indica (L.) All. I 20 M. siculus (Turra)B.D.Jacks S 21 M.sulcatus Desf. S 22 Onomis serrate Forssk M 23 O. vaginalis M.Vahl. M 24 Phaseolus vulgaris L. Q 25 Pseudarthia hookeri Wight& Arn N 26 Psoralea plicata Delile N 27 Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. N 28 Tetragonolobus purpureus L. N 29 Trifolium alexandrinum L. Q 30 T. respinatum L. C 31 T.stellatum L. C 32 Trigonella arabica Delile C 33 T. hamosa L. C 34 T. foenum-graecum L. C 35 T.maritime Poir. C 36 T. monspelica L. C 37 Vigna sinensis L. I Methods: samples were taken from various parts of plant Parts of fresh materials were fixed in F.A.A. organs to study different aspects. The dry specimens solution for a minimum period of 48 hours and then parts were resuscitated by boiling with a few drops of Annals of Agric. Sci., Moshtohor, Vol. 55 (2) 2017. Comparative Botanical Studies of Some Trifoliate Plants Belonging to…….. 289 the detergent “misrol” then treated as fresh materials. orbicularis and cordate as in Dolichos lablab )Figs. Epidermal peels of mature foliage leaves and stems 16, 17 and 18). The leaf margin is entire in Melilotus were cleared in warm lactic acid, then they were sulcatus, serrate in Medicago littoralis and wavy in examined microscopically to study the structure of Psoralea plicata (Figs. 19, 20 and 21 respectively) mature stomata, types of trichomes , cell walls these results are in agreement with the finding of shaped and cell surface ornamentations . Özbek et al. (2014). The floral parts were dissected under stereomicroscope into their different parts and spread The micromorphological studies on the leaflet over slides. The sample parts were cleared by epidermis showed: worming in lactic acid to study the macro- and a- Hairs: Several epidermal hair forms are micro- morphological features of the floral parts. recorded on the stem and leaflets adaxial and abaxial Semi-permanent pollen preparations were made surfaces and also on the floral parts of the studied according to the method of Franks and Watson samples. These forms are distinguished into : (1963) . Pollen dimensions have been measured Shaggy hairs with acute apex as in Trifolium using a calibrated ocular micrometer. respinatum (Fig. 22.), unicellular hairs unbranched with acute apex as in Medicago sativa (Fig. 23), Results and Discussions unicellular hairs with glandular apex Erythrina caffra (Fig. 24), unicellular hairs branched with eglandular Morphological aspects have been recorded for hair as in Cymopsis tetragonolobus (Fig. 25), stem, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds for 37 species multicellular hair branched with rounded apex as in belonging to Faboideae. They consist of 83 Melilotus elegans (Fig. 26) and multicellular hair characteristic covering both the vegetative and floral branched with glandular apex as in Dolichos lablab organs. These characteristics are described in details (Fig. 27). as follows: b-The epidermal cell walls in