Hamid, E., Mohammed, Z. (2026). A Comparative Anatomical Study of the Epidermis of Three Medicinal Plant Species from the Asteraceae Family. , 4(2), 56-64. doi: 10.32894/MEDIP.26.4.2.6
Elaaf Shakur Hamid; Zahraa Bakr Mohammed. "A Comparative Anatomical Study of the Epidermis of Three Medicinal Plant Species from the Asteraceae Family". , 4, 2, 2026, 56-64. doi: 10.32894/MEDIP.26.4.2.6
Hamid, E., Mohammed, Z. (2026). 'A Comparative Anatomical Study of the Epidermis of Three Medicinal Plant Species from the Asteraceae Family', , 4(2), pp. 56-64. doi: 10.32894/MEDIP.26.4.2.6
Hamid, E., Mohammed, Z. A Comparative Anatomical Study of the Epidermis of Three Medicinal Plant Species from the Asteraceae Family. , 2026; 4(2): 56-64. doi: 10.32894/MEDIP.26.4.2.6

A Comparative Anatomical Study of the Epidermis of Three Medicinal Plant Species from the Asteraceae Family

Journal of Medicinal and Industrial Plant Sciences
Volume 4, Issue 2, June 2026, Pages 56-64    PDF (629.48 K)
Document Type: Original Article
DOI: 10.32894/MEDIP.26.4.2.6
Authors
Elaaf Shakur Hamid* ; Zahraa Bakr Mohammed*
Department of Biology, College of Education for Women, University of Kirkuk, Iraq.
Abstract
The studied plant specimens belonging to the family Asteraceae, namely Aster subulatus, Conyza bonariensis, and Calendula officinalis, were collected from different regions of northern Iraq during the period from October 10 to November 15. The study was conducted at the College of Education for Girls, Department of Life Sciences. All studied species were herbaceous plants, including both annual and perennial forms. Accordingly, the present study focused on members of the family Asteraceae, specifically Aster subulatus L., Calendula officinalis L., and Conyza bonariensis L., which are considered important medicinal species widely used in traditional medicine. The results revealed epidermal characteristics, such as cell dimensions and stomatal features, which have proven to possess significant taxonomic value in distinguishing plant species. Noticeable variation was observed among the studied species, as the ordinary epidermal cells were thicker in Aster subulatus. The results also indicated that stomata were distributed on both leaf surfaces (amphistomatic), i.e., on both the upper and lower epidermis of the leaves. Furthermore, the stomatal type in C. officinalis was identified as anomocytic. The data also suggested that the quantitative and qualitative epidermal traits represent fundamental anatomical characteristics that are no less important than chemical and molecular traits in distinguishing plant species, particularly wild taxa.
Keywords
Keywords: epidermis; Asteraceae; Aster; Conyza; Calendula
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