The current study presents investigations on the scape anatomical characteristics of Urginea indica population, a geophyte growing in India, Africa and Mediterranean regions. For scape anatomical studies transverse sections of inflorescence axis were taken and studied for the first time. The twelve different population studied revealed that outer most epidermis of inflorescence is covered by thick cuticle. Cortex is differentiated into 3 regions outer chlorenchyma, middle collenchyma and inner parenchyma. But the shape and number of rows of cells vary in different populations collected from various localities of Karnataka. Vascular bundles are arranged in 3 rows, 2 rows in few populations and number. of vascular bundles vary. Larger bundles varies from 5-8, medium 8-12 and smaller bundles 5 to 21 in number. Xylem elements are uniseriate and biseriate in few. Some populations show Myelin structures and cell inclusions, based on their ecological habitat. The distinctions among cross sections of scapes are evident and our findings offer a comprehensive study using anatomical traits for delimitation and diagnosing populations of U.indica providing a platform for further taxonomic investigations

Kameshwari, M. N. Shiva

Rao, P. Prathima

Tharasaraswathi, K. J.

The current study presents investigations on the scape anatomical characteristics of Urginea indica population, a geophyte growing in India, Africa and Mediterranean regions. For scape anatomical studies transverse sections of inflorescence axis were taken and studied for the first time. The twelve different population studied revealed that outer most epidermis of inflorescence is covered by thick cuticle. Cortex is differentiated into 3 regions outer chlorenchyma, middle collenchyma and inner parenchyma. But the shape and number of rows of cells vary in different populations collected from various localities of Karnataka. Vascular bundles are arranged in 3 rows, 2 rows in few populations and number of vascular bundles vary. Larger bundles varies from 5-8, medium 8-12 and smaller bundles 5 to 21 in number. Xylem elements are uniseriate and biseriate in few. Some populations show Myelin structures and cell inclusions, based on their ecological habitat. The distinctions among cross sections of scapes are evident and our findings offer a comprehensive study using anatomical traits for delimitation and diagnosing populations of U. indica providing a platform for further taxonomic investigations.

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Prathima Rao, P.

Shiva Kameshwari, M.N.

TharaSaraswathi, K.J.

ePrints@Bangalore University

179Journal of Applied and Natural Science 5 (1): 179-189 (2013)2008APPLIED    ANDNATURAL SCIENCEFOUNDATIONANSF JANSScape anatomical studies in populations of Urginea indica Kunth. LiliaceaeP. Prathima Rao , M. N. Shiva Kameshwari*and K. J. TharasaraswathiDepartment of Botany and Biotechnology, Biosystematics Laboratory, Bangalore University, Jnanabharathi, Bangalore560 056 (Karnataka), INDIA*Corresponding author. E-mail: mn.shivakameshwari@gmail.comReceived:January 17, 2013; Revised received: April 15, 2013; Accepted: April 30, 2013Abstract: The current study presents investigations on the scape anatomical characteristics of Urginea indicapopulation, a geophyte growing in India, Africa and Mediterranean regions. For scape anatomical studies transversesections of inflorescence axis were taken and studied for the first time. The twelve different population studiedrevealed that outer most epidermis of inflorescence is  covered by thick cuticle. Cortex is differentiated into 3 regionsouter chlorenchyma, middle collenchyma and inner parenchyma. But the shape and number of rows of cells vary indifferent populations collected from various localities of Karnataka. Vascular bundles are arranged in 3 rows, 2rows in few populations and number. of vascular bundles vary. Larger bundles varies from 5-8, medium 8-12 andsmaller bundles 5 to 21 in number. Xylem elements are uniseriate and biseriate in few. Some populations showMyelin structures and cell inclusions, based on their ecological habitat. The distinctions among cross sections ofscapes are evident and our findings offer a comprehensive study using anatomical traits for delimitation anddiagnosing populations of U.indica  providing a platform for further taxonomic investigations.Keywords : Urginea indica, Geophyte, Myelin, ScapeISSN : 0974-9411 (Print), 2231-5209 (Online)  All Rights Reserved © Applied and Natural Science Foundation  www.ansfoundation.orgINTRODUCTIONIndian Squill Urginea indica Kunth. Liliaceae is aperennial bulbous geophyte native to India, Africa andMediterranean regions and grows in slopes of hills andsandy grounds. (Shivakameshwari et.al 2010). It occursboth in southern and in peninsular part of Indianincluding the coastal belts as well as temperate regionsof Himalayas. Squill bulbs has long been used as a sourceof Medicine. It is used as an anticancer agent, expectorantand cardiac stimulant, treating asthma, adema,rheumatism, gout, dropsy and allergies. Due to theseproperties Squill bulb has found its place in the Britishand European Pharmacopocias. The literature indicatesthat anatomical studies on Urginea are focused on thestructure of the bulb, root and the leaf structure (Sultanet al. 2010) and on adventitious roots of U. maritime(Sharaf et al., 2006).The taxonomic value of foliar anatomical features in U.indica has been  reported by Mustapha (2000); and onleaf anatomy and systematics of Hyacinthaceae by AnnaH. Lynch et al. (2006). Ahmet et al. (2010) have provideda comprehensive description of the morphological andanatomical properties of Bellevalia paradoxa.Studies oninflorescence morphology and anatomy are common infamilies such as Poaceae (Vegetti and Anton 1995, 2000),Cyperaceae (Guarise and Vegetti, 2008), Aristolochiaceae(Gonzalez and Rudall 2001) but the studies are rare inLiliaceae member U. indica. Anatomy of scape and itspotential use in systematics and delimitation of thepopulations of U. indica  has been paid little attention.The aim of the present work was to provide acomprehensive scape anatomical study in U. indicapopulations.MATERIALS AND METHODSThe specimens were collected from different localities ofKarnataka, Kerala and grown in the germplasm garden ofDepartment of Botany, Bangalore University underuniform environmental conditions. Anatomical charactersof 12 populations of U. indica were studied by means oflight microscope is presented in Table 1. Free handsections were prepared and stained in Safranin and fastgreen solution (Gerlach, 1977) and permanently mountedusing DPX. The sections were well examined using Carlleitz microscope  and photographed.RESULTSThe inflorescence of U.indica is a raceme whichoriginates from the center of the bulbs suddenly afterthe first shower, without any leaves and in somepopulations with leaves which is characterstic. Scapeanatomical studies in different populations of U. indicashowed the  following variations .Anatomy of scapeshows that outermost layer of the inflorescence is themonolayered epidermis which comprises layer of almostsquare cells and is covered by a thick cuticle. The cortexis differentiated into 3 regions outer chlorenchyma ,middle180Table 1.Vascular Bundle in populations of U.indica based on their ecological habitats.Uni - Uniseriate, Bi - BiseriateP. Prathima Rao et al. / J. Appl. & Nat. Sci. 5 (1): 179-189 (2013)181Figs. 1.(a-g) Biligirirangana hills.  (a) T.S. of scape (b) A portion enlarged (c) Single vascular bundle (d) Collenchyma arrangedin 7 rows (e) Plasmodesmatal connections between cells (f) Myelin structure (g) Enlarged view of cell showing Myelin structure (h)Kerala  T.S.of Scape.P. Prathima Rao et al. / J. Appl. & Nat. Sci. 5 (1): 179-189 (2013)182Figs.  2. (a-g). Kerala. a and b: A portion enlarged. c: Xylem elements biseriate. d: Collenchyma cells. e, f and g: cell inclusions,(h) Shimoga.P. Prathima Rao et al. / J. Appl. & Nat. Sci. 5 (1): 179-189 (2013)183P. Prathima Rao et al. / J. Appl. & Nat. Sci. 5 (1): 179-189 (2013)Figs. 3. (a-c). Shimoga. (a and b) Vascular bundles (biseriate) (c) Myelin structure (d-h) Pillaly (d) T.S. of Scape (e) Vascularbundles (biseriate) (f) Scape - A portion enlarged (g and h) Myelin structures and Cell inclusions.184Figs. 4. (a-c) Pillaly (a-c) Myelin structures enlarged (d-g) Karighatta  (d) T.S. of Scape (e and f) Vascular bundles (biseriate) (g)Scape -  A portion enlarged (h) Bellur.P. Prathima Rao et al. / J. Appl. & Nat. Sci. 5 (1): 179-189 (2013)185Figs. 5. (a-b) Bellur (a) A portion enlarged (b) Vascular bundles (c-f) Gulbargha (c) T.S. of scape (d) A portion enlarged (e)Epidermis with thick cuticle (f) Vascular bundle (g- h) Banganwadi (g)T.S. of scape (h) A portion enlarged showing thick cuticle.P. Prathima Rao et al. / J. Appl. & Nat. Sci. 5 (1): 179-189 (2013)186Figs. 6. (a-b) Banganwadi (a and b) Myelin structures and other cell inclusions (c-e) Nagarahole (c) T.S. of Scape (d) A portionenlarged  (e) Cells surrounding vascular bundles showing Myelin structures (f- h) Magadi (f)T. S. of Scape (g) A portion enlarged(h) Vascular bundle.P. Prathima Rao et al. / J. Appl. & Nat. Sci. 5 (1): 179-189 (2013)187Figs.7. (a). Magadi. Myelin structures (b)T. S. of Scape (c) A portion enlarged (d) Vascular bundles (biseriate) (e-g) Bettahallivariety (e) T. S. of Scape (f) A portion enlarged (g)Vascular bundles (biseriate).P. Prathima Rao et al. / J. Appl. & Nat. Sci. 5 (1): 179-189 (2013)188collenchyma and inner parenchyma. These are commonfeatures observed in all the twelve populations studied.Kerala : (Fig. 1. h) and (Fig. 2. a-g) Vascular bundles in2 rows 5 larger bundles biseriate and remaining 20 smallerbundles (Fig.1.h) (Fig. 2. C) cell inclusions noticed incollenchyma (Fig. 2. d, e, f and g).Shimoga : (Fig. 2. h) (Fig. 3. a-c) Vascular bundles in 2rows 5 larger central bundles are biseriate and 22 smallerbundles (Fig. 2. h). Myelin structure is present (Fig. 3.c)Pillaly : (Fig. 3. d-h) (Fig. 4. a-c) Vascular bundles in 2rows (Fig. 3. d-h) (Fig. 4. a-c) Vascular bundles in 2 rows8 larger biseriate (Fig. 3. c) and 16 smaller bundles (Fig.3. d). The collenchyma is bulged with cell inclusious(Fig. 3. f, g, h) Myelin structure prominent (Fig. 3. a, band c)Karighatta : (Fig. 4. d-g) Vascular Bundles  in clear 3rows (Fig. 4. d) 7 larger central bundles are biseriate(Fig. 4. e, f and g). 8 medium and 20 smaller bundlesBellur :  (Fig. 4. h) (Fig. 5. a-b) Vascular bundles in 3rows, 6 larger12 medium and 21 smaller bundles. No cellinclusions noticed.Gulbarga :  (Fig. 5. c-f) Thick cuticle (Fig. 5. c) vascularbundles in 2 rows larger 6 uniseriate (Fig. 5. f) 12 smallerbundles. Collenchyma small closely packed. (Fig. 5. e)Banganwadi : (Fig. 5. g-h) (Fig. 6. a, b) Vascular bundlesin 3 rows, (Fig. 5. g) Collenchyma are lesser in nos. only4 layers. (Fig. 5. h) Myelin structure prominent (Fig. 6. aand b)Nagarahole : (Fig. 6. c-e) Vascular bundles 10, 5 largerand 5 smaller in 2 rows (Fig. 6. c) compactly arrangedCollenchymas in 6 to 7 rows (Fig. 6. d) smaller Myelinstructure noticed (Fig. 6. e)Magadi : (Fig. 6. f-h) (Fig.7. a) Vascular bundles in 3rows 7 big vascular bundle 7 medium and 9 bundlessmaller. (Fig. 6. f) Collenchyma in 4 to 5 rows (Fig. 6. g)Larger Vascular bundles are biseriate (Fig. 6. h) smallMyelin structure is observed (Fig. 7. a)Ramanagaram: (Fig. 7. b-d) Section shows compactlyarranged (Fig. 7. b) vascular bundles in 3 rows (Fig. 7. a)xylem biseriate (Fig. 7. d)Bettahalli: (Fig. 7. e-g) Collenchyma compactly arranged(Fig. 7. f) Vascular bundles in 3 rows. 5 larger biseriate(Fig. 7. e-g). 5 medium and 20 smaller.DISCUSSIONU. indica forms a relatively heterogeneous and wellcharacterized group regarding taxonomical andmolecular systematical studies. Previous investigations,revealed that anatomical investigations offer valuablefeatures for  characteriz ing natural groups ordistinguishing species from each other (Fritsh, 1988,Uysal, 1999). The current study provides acomprehensive survey for the application of anatomicaldata in delimiting and diagnosing within U.indicaspecies. i.e. intra specific variations.Systematics is a broad field of enquiry that usescharacteristics and data from many disciplines tocarryout its primary objectives of describing, naming,classifying, identifying and determining relationshipamong plants. Anatomy broadens the base of systematicinvestigation by providing another set of charactersthat indicate relationships with external features.Anatomical characters are more or less reliable thancharacters from other parts of the plants. In the present,study variation have been observed in Scape anatomyand these variations are of systematic value. Anatomicalcharacters can also help the identification whenmorphological features are indistinct .The common features found in all the twelve populationstudied were, epidermis single layered with square cellsand is was differentiated into 3 regions outerchlorenchyma, middle collenchyma and innerparenchyma. They varied in their vascular bundles. Inevery populations under study there were 3 rows ofvascular bundles. Larger vascular bundles varied from5 to 8, medium sized bundles from 5 to 12 and smallerbundles from 5 to 21, but populations collected fromKerala, Shimoga, Pillaly,, Nagarahole and Gulbargashowed 2 rows of vascular bundles. Vascular bundlesare biseriate in populations from Kerala, Shimoga,Karighatta, Ramanagara and Bettahalli ,the remainingpopulations were uniser ia te.  Regarding Myelinstructure, in B.R. Hills, Pillaly, Bangawadi, Nagarahole,Magadi, it was large and prominent and was absent inthe remaining populations. The length of inflorescencevaried from 5 – 80cms, smallest in Nagarahole andlongest in Ramanagaram. Nagarahole population varyin there length, few bulbs showed 5 cms  with 8 flowersand few showed 75 cms with 32 flowers. This showedthat were  intra population variations in Nagaraholepopulation. Number of flowers in 12 populations variedfrom 4 to 32.The flowering and blooming time also variedin different populations of U.indica which might haveplayed an important role in evolution and speciation.Table 1  showed that genotype need not be correlatedto morphological changes.  The phenotype andgenotype dynamics were different in this contest. Sofar, the anatomies of scapes of U.indica populationshave been used for taxonomical purposes. However,our work provides the first detailed anatomical findingsin scapes of U.indica which reveals some distinctionsin scape anatomy. Hence, these results can be used inaddition to the data obtained from other anatomicalstudies of U.indica species. Similar studies have beenmade in Allium (Miryeganeh and Movafeghi, 2009), inBromeliaceae members (Suzana and Maria.,2008) and inEriocaulaceae (Marcelo et al.,2010).P. Prathima Rao et al. / J. Appl. & Nat. Sci. 5 (1): 179-189 (2013)189ConclusionScape anatomy of the twelve populations of U.indicagrowing in different localities of India  showed lessdifferences in their anatomical details but variations wereobserved  in the number and shape of the cells in thecortex. The arrangement , number and size of the vascularbundles varied in these populations. Presence ofuniseriate and biseriate xylem elements , myelin structuresand cell inclusions are characteristic of few populations.The,anatomical traits played an important role indelimiting taxa at the population level. The anatomicaldetails are no where connected to ploidy.REFERENCESAhmet K., Ferhat C., Musa D. and Mehmet K. (2010). Morphoanatomical studies on Bellevalia paradoxa Boiss, belongingto Liliaceae.  Australian journal of  Crop Science Ajes 4(3):150-154.Anna H. Lynch., Paula, J., Rudall and David F Cutler (2006.)Leaf anatomy and systematics of Hyacinthaceae, Kewbulletin,  61:145-159.Fritsch, R.,(1988.) Zur Wurzelanatmie in der Gattung AlliumL.(allliaceae). Beitr. Biol. Pfl., 67:129-160.Gerlach .D (1977.), Botanisaha Mikrotechnik. Thieme verlagStuttgart.Gonzalez,F. and Rudall,p. (2001.) The questionable affinitiesof Lactoris : evidence from branching pattern, inflorescence,morphology, stipule development. American Journal ofBotany.88:2143-2150.Guarise, N.J. and Vegetti, A.C.(2008.)Processes responsiblefor the structural diversity of the Cyperaceae inflorescencehypothetical evolutionary trends. Flora, 203, 640-647.Marcelo trovo., Thomas Stutzel., Vera Lucia scatena and PauloTakeo Sana (2010.).Morphology and Anatomy ofinflorescence and inflorescence axis in Paepalanthus Sect.Diphomene Ruhland (Eriocaulaceae,Poales)and itstaxonomic implications. Flora, 205:242-250Miryeganeh, M and Movafeghi, A. (2009.) Scape anatomy ofAllium Sect. Allium (Alliaceae) in Iran, Just, 35(1) 1-5.Mustapha, O.T. (2000.) Cytotaxonomy of the genus Urgineasteinch. III. The taxonomic value of foliar anatomical featuresin Urginea indica (Roxb) Kunth Complex, Bioscienceresearch communications,  12(2): 201-206.Sharaf Al-Tardeh, Thomas sawidis, Barbara-Evelin Diannelidisand stylianos delivopoulos (2006). Anatomical studies onthe adventitious roots of the geophyte Urginea maritima L.(Baker). Journal of biological research 5:61-70.Shivakameshwari, M.N., Thara saraswathi. K.J., and M.Muniyamma (2010.)Morphological variations in populationsof Urginea indica Kunth. Liliaceae Journal of Applied andNatural Science 2(2):280-289.Sultan, H.A.S., Abu Elrich, B.I. and Yagi, S.M. (2010.)Anatomical and Phytochemical studies of the leaves & rootsof Urginea grandiflora Bak. And Pancratium tortuosumHerbert. Ethnobotanical leaflets 14:826-835.Suzana Lucia Procnca and Maria das gracas Sajo (2008.)Anatomy of the floral scape of Bromeliaceae. Revista Brazil.Bot. 31: 399-408Uysal, I. (1999). Morphological, anatomical and ecologicalstudies on the two Turkish endemic species collected fromKaz Dagy (B1 Balykesir).”Allium sibthorpianum Schultesand Schultes fil. and Allium reuterianum Bioss”.Tr. J.Bot,.23:137-148Vegetti ,A.C and Anton, A.M.(1995.)Some evolution trends inthe inflorescence of Poaceae. Flore 190:225-228.Vegetti ,A.C. and  Anton, A.M. (2000.)The grass inflorescenceGrass systematic and evolution. CSIRO Publishing Melborne29-31.P. Prathima Rao et al. / J. Appl. & Nat. Sci. 5 (1): 179-189 (2013)

Scape Anatomical Studies in Populations of Urginea Indica Kunth. Liliaceae

The current study presents investigations on the scape anatomical characteristics of Urginea indica population, a geophyte growing in India, Africa and Mediterranean regions. For scape anatomical studies transverse sections of inflorescence axis were taken and studied for the first time. The twelve different population studied revealed that outer most epidermis of inflorescence is covered by thick cuticle. Cortex is differentiated into 3 regions outer chlorenchyma, middle collenchyma and inner parenchyma. But the shape and number of rows of cells vary in different populations collected from various localities of Karnataka. Vascular bundles are arranged in 3 rows, 2 rows in few populations and number. of vascular bundles vary. Larger bundles varies from 5-8, medium 8-12 and smaller bundles 5 to 21 in number. Xylem elements are uniseriate and biseriate in few. Some populations show Myelin structures and cell inclusions, based on their ecological habitat. The distinctions among cross sections of scapes are evident and our findings offer a comprehensive study using anatomical traits for delimitation and diagnosing populations of U.indica providing a platform for further taxonomic investigations.</jats:p

Scape anatomical studies in populations of Urginea indica Kunth. Liliaceae

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