The morphology of hairs in species of Plantago L. Sections: Leucopsyllium Decne and Hymenopsyllium Pilger

Abstract

The hairs of the following representatives of the genus <em>Plantago</em> were studied: <em>Plantago ovata</em> Forsk., <em>P. hookeriana</em> Fisch. et Mey. (sectio <em>Leucopsyllium</em> Decne) and <em>P. bellardii</em> All. (sectio <em>Hymenopsyllium</em> Pilger). The occurrence of 3 types of headed hairs and 4 types of headless hairs was observed. <em>P. bellardii</em> is characterized by the presence of hairs with an unicellular, flask-shaped head and a four-celled stalk on a calyx and bract. Until now this type of hair has not been described in the representatives of the genus <em>Plantago</em>. The presence of appendices joining particular cells of the hair is the common feature of the studied taxa, which at present seems to distinguish the above-mentioned sections from other sections of the genus <em>Plantago</em>. The results of our study, similarly as the chemotaxonomic studies of Gorenf1ot and Bourdu (1962) confirm Pilger's accuracy in excluding <em>P. bellardii</em> from the sectio <em>Leucopsyllium</em> and formation of a distinct sectio <em>Hymenopsyllium</em> Pilger.