Taxonomic revision of the<i>Quercus brantii</i>complex (fagaceae) in Iran with emphasis on leaf and pollen micromorphology

Abstract

Micromorphological characters of leaves and pollen grains of the Quercus brantii complex (including seven species and five varieties), as the main species in the Zagros Forests of Iran, were studied by scanning electron microscopy. In order to define the diagnostic value of leaves and pollen grains for species delimitation, multivariate discriminant analysis was applied to micromorphological quantitative features. The results were combined with qualitative characters of pollen grains to separate the examined taxa. Five taxa were confirmed within this complex: Q. brantii var. brantii, Q. brantii var. belangeri, Q. persica, Q. saii and Q. ungeri. The macro- and micromorphological characters of the accepted taxa and their geographical distribution were described. Based on the present results, leaf epidermal characteristics and pollen features are useful taxonomic characters that can help to delimit different taxa within the Q. brantii complex in Iran.