Comparative seedling morphology of four species of Sida (Malvaceae) from Tripura, India and their taxonomic implications

Abstract

Comparative seedling morphology of four Sida species occurring in Tripura were investigated. Seedling characters (germination pattern, position of cotyledon, hypocotyl, epicotyl and paracotyledon and eophylls development) were found to be important and promising from the taxonomic as well as evolutionary point of view. These characters provide important diagnostic character of the species of the genus. Phenogram based on UPGMA method has been prepared and correlation between the characters of seedling of four Sida species were studied.