Leaf Variations within Representative Genera of Tribe Malveae and their Significance in the Taxa Phylogeny

Abstract

L EAF macro-and micro-characters of seven genera represented by twenty species belonging to tribe Malveae, family Malvaceae were examined, measured and investigated in this study . The obtained results indicated that the petiole length, leaf blade shape, base and apex varied between the studied taxa. Meanwhile the leaf margin, number and depth of teeth/ cm in the leaf margin, type of venation and number of lateral veins can be of diagnostic value within the species. Epidermal cell characters are mostly invariable, while the type and density of hairs and presence of cavitated hairs beside the type of stomata and shape of guard cells gave valuable characters within the taxa. The results have been subjected to clustering analyses using PAST program and the resulted dendrogram shows great similarity between the taxa with the separation of both Malva aegyptia and Althaea ludwigii each in a separate clade. Diagnostic key has been instructed and the phylogenetic thinking has been postulated.