233 Arab Univ. J. Agric. Sci., Ain Shams Univ., Cairo, 13(2), 233-248, 2005 MORPHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL VARIATIONS OF ANABASIS ARTICULATA ECOTYPES IN EGYPT [14] Khafagi, Azza A.F.1; A.M.H. Marei2 and Sahar K. Mohamed1 ABSTRACT The present study has been carried out on ten stands of Anabasis articulata in Egypt. The relationships between the studied Anabasis articulata stands have been demonstrated as dendrogram based on the morphology, anatomy and some chemical constituents of the plants. Four characteristic ecotypes of Anabasis articulata have been recognized: (i) xerophytic ecotype in the stands of Belbase desert and Sudr El Hytat-Nekhl Road, (ii) xero - halophytiç ecotype in the stands of the Eastern Desert, Sinai Desert, Kattamia-Ain Sukhna Road, Isthmic desert (Fayid), Adabia and Saint Katherine, (iii) halophytic ecotype in the stands of the Red Sea Costal region, Ras Sudr and Hammam Faraon, Sinai and (iv) halo-xerophytic in the stands of the Nekhl-El Hasana and El Hasana-El Quseima Roads. These ecotypes differ, remark- ably, morphologically, anatomically and chemically. This may be due to the varia- tion in climatic and soil characteristics of the habitats. Key words: Anabasis articulata, Ecotypes, Morphology and Anatomy. INTRODUCTION About 25 Anabasis species are rec- orded worldwide in steppes and deserts, mainly in Irano-Turanian and Saharo- Anabasis articulata is a dwarf-shrub, Arabian regions (Zohary, 1966). In 35-110 cm. Stems woody to half their Egypt Anabasis L. comprises four spe- length or more, erect or tortuous. Branch- cies: A. articulata, A. setifera, A. orope- es opposite, with more or less equal in- diorum and A. syriaca (Boulos, 1999). A. ternodes, brittle, the older ones with split articulata and A. setifera are widely dis- and peeling bark. Leaves reduced to a tributed in all Egyptian deserts, exhibiting short, 2-lobed cupule, villose within. adaptability to various habitats, particu- Flowers up to 5 mm, solitary, opposite, larly in the halic and xeric ones. While, the upper arranged in spikes at ends of A. syriaca and A. oropediorum are very branches (Boulos, 1999). limited in their occurrence. 1- Botany Department, Faculty of Science (for Girls), Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt. 2- Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt. (Received October 9, 2004) (Accepted November 3, 2004) 234 Khafagi; Marei and Mohamed Shalaby (1961) studied the vegetation perature, length of seasons and shade) and phytochemical (saponins) contents of and biotic influences (e.g. grazing and A. setifera and A. articulata collected parasitism). from nine stands. He stated that Anabasis The present paper presents a detailed articulata grows found only rarely in the morphological, anatomical studies as well inner deserts, but was very common in as some chemical analysis on ten samples the Coastal Mediteranean desert. Accord- of A. articulata collected from different ing to Fahn (1964), in Anabasis articu- locations of the Egyptian deserts. late, stems contain some of the most im- portant adaptations of plants to desert life. Fahn (1963), stem assimilants are species MATERIAL AND METHODS with green stems that carry the main bur- den of photosynthesizing throughout the Five samples of Anabasis articulata year. In the articulated Chenopodiaceae, were collected from each of the ten stands such as Anabasis species, the fleshy pho- growing in the three regions (Eastern tosynthesizing cortex shed from the ma- desert, Isthmic desert and Sinai proper) of ture stem in the summer as the result of Egypt namely: Kattamia - Ain Sukhna the formation of a periderm, which de- Road (50 km. From Cairo), Adabia (Suez velops in the phloem parenchyma. Ah- - Ain Sukhna Road), Belbase desert, med and Marzouk (1997) studied Anab- Fayid desert, Ras Sudr site, Hammam asis species collected from Northern Faraon stand, Saint Katherine region, Mediterranean Coastal and Sinai using Sudr El -Hytat- Nekhl Road, Nekhl El- numerical analysis technique. The gross Hasana Road and El- Hasana El- Qusei- morphology, floral morphology, palynol- ma Road. All sample were collected dur- ogy and seed proteins electrophoresis of ing 2000-2003 period. the collected specimens were studied. - The mean values of climatic factors The studied A. articulata specimens for the ten studied localities (Table 1) grouped into two clusters. The first clus- were obtained from the Meteorologi- ter includes specimens collected from cal Department of Egypt for the peri- middle and south Sinai, while the second ods of investigation (2000-2002). cluster includes specimens collected from - Soil samples of each studied stand Mediterranean Coastal Land. were taken to a depth of 30 cm. The On the other hand, Olowokudejo soil moisture content was deter- (1986) stated that the population has be- mined. Soil samples were air-dried, come a key word in taxonomy since the sieved for analysis of soil particles. inherent variability of species has been The total carbonates, the total soluble accepted as a phenomenon requiring salts, chlorides, sulphates and pH study and appropriate treatment. value were determined. The methods Examples of the different ecotypes are used in this study are those adopted given by Stace (1989) who listed cases of by Rowell (1994). physiological ecotypes involving adapta- - The total ash content in leaves, stems tions to differences in soil conditions (e.g. and roots was determined after salinity, pH, heavy metals, nutrients and Brower and Zar (1984). The miner- moisture), climate e.g. day length, tem- al composition in the plant were es- Arab Univ. J. Agric. Sci., 13(2), 2005 Variations of Anabasis articulata ecotypes 235 timated following A.O.A.C. (1985) - The relationships between the studied for sodium, potassium, calcium and Anabasis articulata specimens have magnesium contents; and by Lowry been demonstrated as dendrogram (1951); Wall et al (1954) and (Fig. 2) by using statistical programs Dubois et al (1956) for total soluble PRIMER (Ver. 5.0). Morphological, proteins, total lipid, proline and total anatomical and chemical constituent carbohydrates contents. data of the specimens in the different - The morphological and anatomical stands were statistically analysed by characteristics of the plant were de- means of Euclidean distance using an termined (Tables 3 & 4 and Figure unweighted pair group method with 1). arithmetic mean (UPGMA). Table 1. Means of the climatic particulars of five desert regions of Egypt (Meteorology Department, Cairo, 2001-2002). Wind ve- Temperature in °C Relative Regions locity Rainfall humidity % Max. Min. (km/hr) Suez 45 9.2 55 - 69 11 - 19 0 - 6 Cairo 38.5 7.8 56 - 59 5.8 - 8.4 0 - 2 Ismailia 39.4 6.2 56 - 69 4.1 - 6.3 0 - 2.4 Middle Sinai 27.22 13.44 78.6 - 94.2 ** 0 - 10.2 Saint Catherine 34.3 -2.1 ** 5.8 - 10.1 0 - 13.6 RESULTS Cairo area The maximum temperature reached A. Ecological Features 39 oC in July while the minimum temper- o ature decreased to 7.8 C in January and a - Climate of the studied areas February. The highest rainfall value was recorded in February (1.7mm) and the There are wide range of temperature period from June to September was rain- and humidity both annual and diurnal. less. The maximum relative humidity Rainfall is scanty and varies in the differ- recorded was 63 % in November and ent years. Generally the climate of the January and the minimum R.H. was 36 % inner desert areas is of the extremely arid in June. The maximum wind velocity was type. However, that of the Mediterranean recorded in May (8.4 km/hr.) while the region is of the semi - arid type. Arab Univ. J. Agric. Sci., 13(2), 2005 236 Khafagi; Marei and Mohamed minimum value was in November (5.8 rainfall was in October (13.6 mm.) and km/hr.) rainless in the remainders. Ismailia area Middle Sinai area The maximum temperature reached The maximum temperature reached 39.4°C in July while the minimum tem- 27.22oC in August while the minimum perature decreased to 6.2oC in January. temperature decreased to 13.44oC in De- The highest rainfall value was recorded in cember. The highest rainfall value was March (2.4 mm) and the period from June recorded in January (10.24 mm) and the to September was rainless. The maximum period from April to September was rain- relative humidity recorded was 68.6 % in less. The maximum relative humidity November and the minimum R.H. was recorded was 94.22 % in January and the 55.9 % in April. The maximum wind minimum R.H. was 78.56 % in June. velocity was recorded in May (6.3 km/hr.) while the minimum value was in b- Soil analysis November (4.1km/hr.). 1- Mechanical analysis Suez area The mechanical analysis of the stud- ied samples showed remarkable differ- The maximum temperature reached ences in soil texture due to differences in 45oC in August while the minimum tem- o soil types (Table 2). The gravel fraction perature decreased to 9.2 C in January. recorded the highest value (61.6%) in The highest rainfall value was recorded in middle road of Kattamia Ain -Sukhna February and December (6 mm) and the while it recorded the lowest value (1.2%) period from April to September was rain- near Ras-Sudr. Coarse sand fraction was less. The maximum relative humidity recorded the highest value (61%) in Ras recorded was 69 % in October, November Sudr City while it recorded the lowest and December while the minimum R.H. value (0.4 %) in Nekhl El-Hasana road. was 55 % in May. The maximum wind Fine sand fraction recorded the highest velocity was recorded in July and Sep- value (52.8 %) in desert of Fayid while it tember (19 km/hr.) while the minimum recorded the loweest value (10.4 %) in value was in December (11 km/hr.).