| Pak. J. Bot., 36(3): 487-501, 4004. | Back to Contents | ||||
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Updated: 09-07-09 | ||||
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CAN COMPLEXITY OF THE GENUS ALLIUM L., BE RESOLVED THROUGH SOME NUMERICAL TECHNIQUES? ZUBAIDA YOUSAF, *1ZABTA KHAN SHINWARI, RIZWANA ALEEM QURESHI, MIR AJAB KHAN AND SYED SHAHINSHAH GILANI
Abstract:
Allium L., is the largest genus of petaloid monocotyledons except
orchids, with 750 species all over the world and 46 species in Pakistan.
Numerical techniques were used to study the taxonomic relationship of
the Allium L., from Pakistan. Both vegetative and reproductive
characters were taken into account. Bulb plays a major role in identification
of various species of this genus. A. fedtschenkoanum Regel and
A. semonovii Regel are quite confusing but can be separated on
the basis of outer tunic nature, scape length and floral characters.
Tepals colour of A. fedtschenkoanum Regel is yellow and A. semenovii
Regel has double coloured tepals, yellow above and red below. A.
baluchistanicum Wendelbo is a rare species in Pakistan because it
was recorded only once from Quetta in 1966. A. lilacinum Royle
ex Regel was previously reported from Pakistan, but no herbarium specimen
was available to verify the report.
A. jacquemontii Kunth showed confusion with A. przewalskianum
Regel, A. griffithianum Boiss., and A. roylei Stearn.
Differentiation between A. griffithianum Boiss and A. jacquemontii
Kunth can be made by using characters of scape and flowers. Some
taxonomists recognized A. roylei Stearn and A. rubellum
L., as separate species. Our results revealed that both are conspecific.
A. rubellum L., is a synonym of A. roylei Stearn. This
species is closely related to A. griffithianum Boiss and A.
jacquemontii Kunth. A. longicupis Regel is a new record and
for the first time reported from Pakistan. This species has pink flower,
glabrous leaf sheath and the inflorescence is a bulbiferous umbel. It
is closely related to A. roylei Stearn.
Department of
Biological Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. |
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