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Anatomical and micromorphological features of inflorescences of six Verbena L. species (Verbenaceae)

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Abstract

The present study aimed to conduct anatomical and micromorphological analysis of inflorescences and flowers of six Verbena species native to South America (Verbenaceae): V. gracilescens from series Verbena, and V. bonariensis, V. intermedia, V. litoralis, V. montevidensis and V. rigida, all five from series Pachystachyae. The results showed that the rachis transverse section exhibits unistratified epidermis and hypodermis, eustele and parenchymatic pith. The chlorenchymatous cortex can be continuous or discontinuous. The floral bract shows unistratified epidermis, homogeneous mesophyll and parenchymatous sheath in the central vascular bundle. The perianth exhibits scarce homogeneous mesophyll. In relation to trichomes, non-glandular and glandular are occur in the inflorescence structures of all the studied species. Verbena bonariensis, V. rigida and V. intermedia have the same non-glandular (types I and II) and glandular (types IV-VII) trichomes. Non-glandular appressed trichomes (type III) were observed only in V. gracilescens, V. montevidensis and V. litoralis. Verbena gracilescens (Verbena series) and V. montevidensis (Pachystachyae series) show lax inflorescence with spaced flowers and only short stalked glandular and appressed non-glandular trichomes, with scarce density. The other studied species of series Pachystachyae exhibit dense inflorescence and all glandular and non-glandular trichomes types. The six studied species can be characterized by different trichome types in the inflorescences and anatomy of the rachis. The results have taxonomical importance, furthermore since several species of Verbena have medicinal properties these studies are a potential tool for the correct identification of the raw drug, preventing adulteration.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Service of Scanning Electron Microscopy of the Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences “Bernardino Rivadavia”, Buenos Aires, Argentina, for the preparation of samples and for taking photographs.

Funding

This study was funded by a research subsidy from the Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Programa Interdisciplinario de Estudios en Plantas Vasculares (PIEPVas), Universidad Nacional de Luján, Ruta Nacional 5 y Av. Constitución, Luján (6700), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Martín I. Rodriguez Morcelle & Nancy Mariel Apóstolo

  2. Cátedra de Farmacobotánica, Facultad de Bioquímica y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, Rosario (2000), Santa Fe, Santa Fe, Argentina

    Martha Ana Gattuso

  3. INEDES (CONICET-UNLu), Ruta Nacional 5 y Av. Constitución, Luján (6700), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Martín I. Rodriguez Morcelle & Nancy Mariel Apóstolo

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  1. Martín I. Rodriguez Morcelle
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Correspondence to Martín I. Rodriguez Morcelle.

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Rodriguez Morcelle, M., Gattuso, M. & Apóstolo, N. Anatomical and micromorphological features of inflorescences of six Verbena L. species (Verbenaceae). Biologia 78, 2293–2302 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-023-01368-9

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