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The leaf epidermal anatomy of 15 salt-tolerant plant species belonging to the Amaranthaceae from the Salt Range of Punjab-Pakistan was studied using light microscopy (LM). The main purpose of this investigation was to compare the leaf micro-morphologies of the studied taxa, which can provide diagnostic characters useful for correct identification of halophytic taxa. Various quantitative and qualitative foliar epidermal features of adaxial and abaxial surfaces, including epidermal cell shape, anticlinal wall pattern, lobes per cell, anomocytic, anisocytic, and paracytic types of stomata and trichome diversity, were studied. Eight types of trichomes reported for the halophytes studied i.e. stellate, glandular, conical, capitate, non-capitate, non-glandular, cylindrical, and falcate. The shapes of epidermal cells found are pentagonal, polygonal, irregular, wavy, and tetragonal. This is the first report on leaf epidermal micromorphology of halophytes of family Amaranthaceae of Salt Range of Punjab. The findings revealed that leaf epidermal features showed adequate variations among genera distinguishing the halophytic taxa of family Amaranthaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Taxonomy and evolution of Jasminum species were highlighted by analyzing foliar epidermal attributes with LM and SM. • Irregular cells, anomocytic, cyclocytic, and anisocytic stomata, peltate glands, and unicellular or uniseriate trichomes were found in Jasminum. • Domatia, glabrous to hairy, or spiny leaf margin, midrib, cells anticlinal view, cuticular folds and striations are diagnostic characters in Jasminum. • Cluster analysis divided Jasminum into two major groups; C1 with four white flower-bearing and, C2 = five white and yellow flower-bearing species. • Foliar epidermal attributes are crucial to infer relationships indicating the direction of character evolution from yellow to white flowering Jasminum. Jasminum L. is an important genus of the Oleaceae family with nearly 200 species cultivated or distributed wild in almost all parts of the world. A comparative taxonomy and evolutionary relationship on the basis of foliar epidermal quantitative and qualitative micro-morphological characters of nine species of the genus Jasminum were assessed using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. Foliar epidermal anatomical attributes like number and size of cells, stomata, stomata complex, granular and non-granular trichomes along with the abaxial to adaxial cell ratio and stomata index were assessed as distinguished characters of the Jasminum foliar epidermis. Results displayed irregular types of cells, anomocytic, cyclocytic, anisocytic and giant stomata, peltate glands and unicellular or uniseriate trichomes in Jasminum species. The presence of domatia at the vein axil, glabrous, hairy, or spiny leaf margin, midrib, anticlinal view of the cells, cuticular folds and striations appeared as valuable micro-morphological attributes in Jasminum. The cluster analysis based on micro-morphology divided Jasminum species into two major clusters. The first cluster (C1) displayed four white flowering Jasminum species from section Unifoliolata with shared characters like simple opposite leaves with spinose and cuticular striations. The second cluster (C2) showed five white and yellow flower-bearing Jasminum species having compound leaves with cuticular folds or striations and spinose at their leaf margins. Conclusively, micro-morphological attributes are crucial to characterize and infer evolutionary relationships and the direction of character evolution from yellow to white flowering Jasminum. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capparis decidua a medicinal shrub belonging to the family Capparaceae , grows abundantly in wild regions of Asia, Africa, and Saudi Arabia. Due to its medicinal and nutritional value, a study on anatomical and physiological adaptations under various desert habitats was conducted. Results revealed that plants in saline areas showed significant anatomical and physiological modifications particularly in stem and roots show better survival under the harsh saline conditions of the desert. It was noted that the root epidermis thickness was not affected in a slightly saline environment as it showed no significant increasing or decreasing trend in the cross-section of the plant population from non-saline to slightly saline (p > 0.05) while it increased significantly in plants growing at highly saline (p < 0.05). Whereas endodermis cell area differs significantly between plants growing at all selected study sites it increased continuously with a rise in the salinity level of the soil (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, water storage capacity and reduction of water loss in the stem area, epidermis, and sclerenchyma were also recorded. In a highly saline environment, results intimate the deduction of photosynthetic pigments, an increase in total soluble proteins, total free amino acids, total soluble sugars, and proline, and a rise in stem and root tissue Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Cl− contents and meanwhile, accumulation of secondary metabolites (Phenolics and flavonoids). These anatomical and physiological adaptations in natural populations appear to be very important for their better survival in a harsh saline desert environment. It was concluded that C. decidua was found in all different edaphic habitats of the Cholistan Desert, due to its adaptive features, which were very obvious in this plant and highly saline site. • Capparis decidua a medicinal shrub belonging to the family Capparaceae. • Anatomical and physiological adaptations was examined under various desert habitats. • Plants in saline areas showed significant anatomical and physiological modifications. • It was concluded that C. decidua was found in all edaphic habitats of the desert. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]