A Comprehensive Micromorphological and Anatomical Study on the Poisonous Plant Cionura erecta (L.) Griseb. (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae)

Cionura erecta (L.) Griseb., named as Babrik in Türkiye, is one of the widespread taxa of Apocynaceae, which is known for its toxicity as well as its common therapeutic use. This study aimed to contribute to the systematics of C. erecta by examining the stem, petiole, lamina and flower parts of the species in detail, for the first time, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy. SEM examinations determined that the surface of vegetative parts was crisped hairy, leaf epicuticular wax was striate, and colleters were in petiolar, laminar and calycine positions, and each was defined as standard type consisting of a short, non-secretory stalk, and a conical, undivided main secretory head. The presence of collenchyma cells and scattered sclerenchyma cell groups in the stem, bicollateral vascular bundles, laticifers and druse crystals in all vegetative portions, and paracytic, anomocytic, and anisocytic stomata on the amphistomotic and equifacial leaf were determined as the most characteristic anatomical features. The obtained results revealed that anatomical and micromorphological characters could be used to contribute to the morphological characters in the identification of C. erecta.