The investigation of the Phenotypic plasticity of Phlomis aucheri Boiss. Based on phytogeographical study

Phlomis aucheri Boiss. is an endemic species of Labiatae family which has been distributed widely in different regions of Iran. In this research, in order to compare the effect of different environmental and ecological factors in creating phonotypic plasticity, 11 different geographic populations of this species were collected from different regions including center, north-west, west and south–west also 14 qualitative and quantitative morphological traits of vegetative and reproductive organs were examined. Morphological review showed that the shape and dimensions of basal and floral leaves and dimensions of the calyx and corolla were different between populations. This case indicates that environmental and adaphic factors led to the phenotypic plasticity process in plants, which was adjustable to climatic variations that caused similarities and differences among populations. Statistical analysis was led to draw a cluster in which individuals form a special arrangement which exactly conformed to the Iranian phytogeographical regions.