Morpho-Anatomical Properties and Terpene Composition of Picea Omorika (Pančić) Purk. Needles from Bosnia and Herzegovina

Picea omorika (Pančić) Purk., (Serbian spruce) is a relic, endemic, and vulnerable conifer that remains insufficiently studied to date. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the morpho-anatomical and phytochemical diversity of needles from three populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The length of two-year-old needles was measured with a digital caliper. The next six properties were measured based on cross-sections of the needles using a light microscope. An analysis of volatile compounds was carried out using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The highest values of needle traits were found in the Viogor population, with the lowest in the Tisovljak population, which was statistically confirmed. There was also a significant difference between needles from Bosnia and Herzegovina and those from Serbia. Bornyl acetate, camphene, limonene, and α-pinene were identified as the major terpene compounds. Multivariate analyses also suggested a tendency toward the separation of the Tisovljak population. A statistical comparison of three Bosnian and Herzegovinian and four Serbian populations (previously studied and published) revealed two distinct groups: (1) three Bosnian populations and the Vranjak population from Serbia, and (2) three populations from Serbia—Štula, Zmajevački Potok, and Mileševka Canyon. The general conclusions are that divergence in needle morpho-anatomy aligns with divergence in needle chemistry and that Bosnian and Herzegovinian populations are distinct from nearly all Serbian populations.