STRUCTURAL INVESTIGATION OF THE SECRETORY SYSTEM OF SOME ENDEMIC AND MEDICINAL SPECIES OF APIACEAE FROM UZBEKISTAN

Middle Asia is one of the major centers of origin and diversity of the family Apiaceae. Secretory system and other anatomical peculiarities of many endemic Apiaceae are still poorly investigated. Comparative anatomical study of plant secretory structures has a great theoretical and practical importance in relation to taxonomy, ecology and pharmacology. The paper provides the results of structural investigation of the secretory system of five endemic and medicinal species of Apiaceae from Middle Asia (Sphaerosciadium denaense, Ferula foetida, F. varia, F. kyzylkumica, Dorema sabulosum). It was revealed that different representatives of the family Apiaceae growing in various habitats have a secretory system represented with terpenoid keeping schizogenous secretory ducts. Desert plants (F. foetida, F. varia, F. kyzylkumica, D. sabulosum) have larger secretory ducts producing more of terpenoids, than a mesophilous relic mountain species S. denaense. The most characteristic structural features of secretory system of S. denaense are small diameter of lumen, small epithelial cells, and the absence of ducts around the xylem of the medullary bundles in the stem and petioles. The structural features of secretory system are specific to each of the investigated plants. The topography and dimensions of secretory ducts are a diagnostic character applied in species identification.