A COMPARATIVE STEM ANATOMY OF NINE WILD PLANT SPECIES OF BRASSICACEAE IN THE WESTERN DESERT DISTRICT OF IRAQ

Othman Mohammed Othman; Janan Oral Alhurmuzi; Baydaa Abdul Sattar Atiyha; Rana Hashim Aloush; Mohammed Othman Mousa; Suad Shallal Shahatha

doi:10.26842/binhm.7.2026.19.1.0213

Authors

Othman Mohammed Othman Department of Desert Development, Center of Desert Studies, University of Anbar, Anbar, Iraq.
Janan Oral Alhurmuzi Department of Construction and Building, Polytechnic College, Northern Technical University, Kirkuk, Iraq.
Baydaa Abdul Sattar Atiyha Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Anbar, Anbar, Iraq.
Rana Hashim Aloush Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Tikrit, Tikrit, Iraq.
Mohammed Othman Mousa Department of Desert Development, Center of Desert Studies, University of Anbar, Anbar, Iraq.
Suad Shallal Shahatha Department of Desert Development, Center of Desert Studies, University of Anbar, Anbar, Iraq.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26842/binhm.7.2026.19.1.0213

Keywords:

Brassicaceae, Cruciferae, Desert plants, Pith diameter, Vascular bundles.

Abstract

This study aimed to conduct a comparative investigation of the anatomical features of stems of nine wild plant species belonging to nine genera within the Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) family, the species included Anastatica hierochuntica L. 1753, Cakile arabica Velen., 1911, Camelina hispida Boiss., 1842, Chorispora purpurascens (Banks & Sol.) Eig (1937), Erucaria crassifolia (Forssk.) Delile (1813), Glastaria glastifolia (DC.) Kuntze (1891), Horwoodia dicksoniae Turrill, 1939, Matthiola longipetala (Vent.) DC (1821), and Notoceras bicorne (Aiton) Amo (1873). These plants were collected during the spring seasons of 2024 and 2025 from various locations within the Western Desert District in Iraq. Transverse sections of stems were examined to document both qualitative and quantitative traits, which proved helpful in distinguishing the species studied. The diameter of stem transverse sections varied notably among the nine species studied ranging from 1350 μm. in species G. glastifolia to 2700 μm. in species E. crassifolia. Transverse sectional shapes differed from circular in some species to semi-polygonal in others. The chlorenchyma tissue consisted of one to six layers of cells, while collenchyma was either well-developed (5-7 layers), or absent. The number of vascular bundles remained relatively stable and enabled the classification of the species into three groups. The pith thickness varied considerably from 376 to1905 μm and showed a general positive correlation with the stem diameter.