TAXONOMIC VALUE OF LEAF ANATOMY IN IRANIAN FINE-LEAVED FESTUCA

Festuca L. comprises perennial herbs and about ۴۵۰ 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 F. akhanii, F. elwendiana,F. heterophylla, F. sulcata and F. valesiaca belonging to the fine-leaved group are investigated.