TAXONOMIC VALUE OF LEAF ANATOMY IN IRANIAN FINE-LEAVED FESTUCA

Abstract

<em>Festuca</em> L. comprises perennial herbs and about 450 species. It belongs to the tribe Poeae R. Br. (= Festucaceae Dumort), subfamily Pooideae of Poaceae. These species are different in leaf size, life duration and lamina width. The genus is divided into two groups based on lamina width: fine-leaved and broad-leaved. In this study, leaf anatomy of <em>F. akhanii</em>,<em> F. elwendiana</em>,<em>F. heterophylla</em>,<em> F. sulcata </em>and<em> F. valesiaca</em> belonging to the fine-leaved group are investigated.