The anatomy, micromorphology, and essential oils of the Turkish endemic and endangered species Alchemilla orduensis

Abstract

In this study, the anatomical and micromorphological characteristics of the vegetative organs and the essential oil constituents of the aerial and underground parts of the local and endangered endemic species A. orduensis Pawł. were evaluated. For anatomical study, sections of root, rhizome, stem, leaves and petiole were excised and stained with safranin/fast green mixture. Leaf and petiole structures were examined micromorphologically. Essential oil contents were determined by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS) analysis. The results showed that rectangular meristematic cells were present in the root. The leaf is of the bifacial and amphistomatic type. Stomata cells are of the anomocytic type. The stomatal index for the upper surface of the leaves is 0.04, while the stomatal index for the lower surface is 0.17. Druse crystals were found in the rhizome, stem and leaves. Among the various compounds identified, the most abundant groups in the aboveground parts are alcohols (39.81%) and ketones (14.99%) with 1-Octen-3-ol, 1-octan-3-one and borane- methyl sulfide complex as the main compounds. Terpenes (23.44%) and alcohols (11.82%), in which myrtenolis was the main compound, were most abundant in the underground parts.