SEM studies on seed morphology of Indigofera L. (Fabaceae) and its Taxonomic Utility

Murthy G.V.S. & M. Sanjappa

Published on : 01-Jan-2022

DOI : https://dx.doi.org/10.22244/rheedea.2002.12.01.02

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Abstract

Seed morphology of 51 species of Indigofera from India has been studied under SEM. The seeds display considerable diversity in shape, seed coat surface, size and numbers per pod in the genus. Based on the shape five major seed types viz., boatshaped, bilateral, discoid, spherical and cylindrical have been recognised. The cylindrical type can be divided into two broad categories as pitted type and smooth type. The pitted type is further grouped into pitted-verrucate and pitted-smooth. The SEM study has revealed the remarkable topographic diversity of seed coat in different species. Seed surface ornamentation at higher magnification is variable, and is either smooth, pitted, stellate, reticulate, verrucate, granulate or perforate within the genus. On the whole, the surface pattern is found to be characteristic of each species. The present study not only provides some useful characters of seed for infrageneric classification but also for delimiting certain species of Indigofera. The occurrence of different shape types and seed coat patterns does not fully correlate with the taxonomical divisions, and indicates parallel evolution in Indigofera.