Anatomical Investigations on Turkish Vulnerable Scrophularia species: Scrophularia lepidota Boiss.( Scrophulariaceae)

In this study, the root, stem and leaf anatomy of Scrophularia lepidota, a narrowly distributed endemic species specific to our country, whose morphological features are known, was investigated. Plant materials were collected from Ziyarettepe, Ulaş district of Sivas, Türkiye and anatomically analyzed. In the root cross-section, root is in the secondary structure, there are 5–8 cell layered periderm in outside and under periderm tissue, there are 6–10 cell layered pericycle. The stem is in primary structure, covered by uniseriate epidermis and stellate epidermal trichomes. Under the epidermis there is cortex tissue which consists of 6–8 cell layers. The leaves are equifasiyal according to the mesophyll layer, and amphistatic according to the presence of stoma. The midrib is oval–circular in shape, and is surrounded by a single cell layered bundle sheath. There are idioblastic cells in leaf cross section. The determined anatomical features of S. lepidota were compared with previous anatomical studies on other species of the genus Scrophularia and the results were discussed. In this study, the anatomical features of S. lepidota, which is endemic to our country, were revealed for the first time. In addition, by determining the anatomical features of S. lepidota, a contribution was made to the general anatomical features and systematics of the genus Scrophularia.