Seed testa sculpture of species of Allium L. (Amaryllidaceae) and its taxonomic implications

Abstract

We investigated the seed testa sculpture of twenty-four species belonging to thirteen sections and five subgenera of Allium from the herbarium materials or collected from plants in living collections. Seed testa sculpture of 21 species were described for the first time in this study. According to our results, the straight anticlinal wall and one large verruca or dense granules periclinal wall were found among the species in subgenus Amerallium, Cepa, Polyprason and Reticulatobulbosa. Only A. ochroleucum (sect. Daghestanica, subg. Polyprason) has U-type undulation anticlinal wall, which is similar to species of subg. Allium. The U- to Omega-type undulation anticlinal walls and several big verrucae with marginal verrucae periclinal wall were found in subg. Allium. Our results suggest that seed testa sculpture is important character of species and sections level of the genus Allium.