ABSTRACT:Ten Fagoni a species grown in the Lib yan Desert wer e s ubject ed i n t his s tud y, Fagoni a arabica L., F. brugui eri DC., F. cretic a L., F . gluti nos a D elile, F. i ndic a Burm., F . microphylla P omel, F. sinaica Boiss ., F . schweinf urthii Hadidi, F. t enuifoli a St eud ., and F. t hebaica Boiss . A nat omic al c haract ers included t he inter nal str uct ures of bot h st ems and l eaves hav e b een inv estigat ed i n the present s tud y. T axonomical key has b een construc ted acc ording to t he int ernal struct ures of t he st em s and t he l eav es. The results of AN OV A test indicat ed that fiv e char act ers, number of p hloem fiber patches i n the cort ex, number of parenc hyma l ayers i n the c ortex, ratio betw een p hloem and Vasc ular tiss ue, rati o betw een phl oem and stem r adius and rati o between xyl em and stem radius, are highl y signific antl y diff erent within t he st udied speci es. The previous trials of cl assific ati on hav e b een discus sed acc ording to the obtai ned r esult s.

No abstract

Fourteen stem anatomical characters, beside twelve minerals; Na,Mg,Al,Si,P,S,Cl,K,Ca,Fe,Cu,Zn; and organic matters ;flavonoids,Kaempherol, quercetin, quercetin-3-glucoside, quercetin-3-rhamnoside and quercetin-3-rutinoside; were identified in six Salsola species; S.inermis, S.kali, S.longifolia,S tetragona.,S. tetrandra and  S.volkensii  grown in the Mediterranean coastal strip from Alexandria to El-Dabaa district in Egypt, in order to better understanding of the relations between the studied species and elucidate the arguments about their taxonomic position. The work based on light microscope for anatomical investigations, X-ray analyses in the leaves for minerals compositions and paper chromatography in all plant parts for chemical organic constituents. The anatomical results obtained showed that S. kali  and S. innermis are closely related  and separated from the rest of the studied species, while S.tetrandra and S.volkensii are related as well and meanwhile in relation with the other two species;S.tetragona and S.longifolia .These characters revealed that the genus exhibit abnormal secondary growth with variations within the studied species.. The mineral contents in the leaves of these species differs between the taxa. The maximum records of  Mg, Al. Si, P, Ca, and Fe were found in S. kali While the maximum records in Na and K were found in S.inermis. Flavenoids, Kaempherol, quercetin, quercetin-3-glucoside, quercetin-3-rhamnoside and quercetin-3-rutinoside identified. No flavone aglycons and glycosides or C-glycosides were detected. Hypogallic acid, gallic acid, phloroglucinol, gentisic acid, protocatchuic acid and -(-)epicatchin have been also detected. The biochemical data indicate that Salsola kali is highly different and support its anatomical aspects. Mineral and organic compounds analyses revealed that the studied species are under stress and their variations cannot be used in the taxonomy of the group. All the obtained results indicate that S.kali has its own characters which support its separation in a separate section as indicated by previous authors

This works deals with the recent opinions about the new classification of the core Malvales with special reference to the family Malvaceae s.l. and the morphological description and variations in the species of the genus Abutilon Mill. Taxonomical features of the family as shown in the recent classification systems, with full description of the main divisions of the family. Position of Malvaceae s.l. in the different modern taxonomical systems is clarified. General features of the genus Abutilon stated according to the careful examination of the specimens. Taxonomic position of Abutilon in the Malvaceae is given. Artificial key based on vegetative morphological characters is provided.

Vegetative community structures and phenotypic variations within Calligonum comosum L`Her individuals grown in two different locations in Al-Nefud desert in Saudi Arabia; Nefud Al-Shakika and Al-Dahnaa, have been studied. Eleven species have been recorded in both areas; five of them were present in both locations. Ephedra elata and Convolvulus lanatus were recorded in Nefud Al-Shakika only. While Heliotropium bacciferum, Cleome arabica, Dodonaea viscosa and Erodium gleurocophyllum were found in Al-Dahnaa only. The importance values of the species recorded have been calculated and cluster analyses of the studied quadrates have been made using TWINSPAN method. Vegetative morphological characters showed great variations within C. comosum collected from the two locations. Floral morphological characters are more stable, except the fruit colour and hair which was different in the C. comosum plants grown in the two locations. Epidermal stem secretions as well as mineral contents varied in response to change in locations. ANOVA test have been carried out to evaluate the differences between the two areas. The variations in these characters are discussed according to the difference in climates, soil characters and water availability. Keywords: Phenotypic variation; Vegetative morphology; Fruit morphology; Pollen grains; Mineral contents; Al-Nefud- Al-Dahnaa. © 2011 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237 (Print); 2070-0245 (Online). All rights reserved. doi:10.3329/jsr.v3i2.7010                 J. Sci. Res. 3 (2), 421-435 (2011)