Investigating Morphological Characteristics in Ecotypes of 3 Alcea Species (Alcea Koelzii, A. Arbelensis, and A. Aucheri) under Different Growing Conditions

Different species of Alcea L. are widely distributed in different regions of Iran. In the present study, macromorphological factors such as leaf characteristics, flower, plant height, and leaf micromorphological factors such as stomata and hairs in the ecotypes of Alcea koelzii, A. arbelensis, and A. aucheri were compared under different habitat conditions. These characters were different among different ecotypes of each species and among species. All traits, including stomatal perimeter, stomatal area, guard cell length, large width of stomata on leaves, hair density on the surface below the leaves and stem height were significantly higher in A. koelzii than the other two species. The stomata were anisocytic type. The results showed that under the leaves, the stomata density was higher than the upper surface of the leaf, and there was an inverse relationship between the stomatal density and stomatal size. There was also a positive and significant correlation between the characteristics of the stomatal structure with the stomatal perimeter and the stomatal area. The study showed that the hair density in the lower surface of the leaf was higher than its upper surface. The hairs were mostly stellar and multi-branched. The changes in macro and micromorphological characters of ecotype, such as changes in size and density of stomata and hairs, indicated high adaptation to different habitat conditions, and this is particularly important in propagation, breeding, and genetic conservation programs. The morphological diversity of Alcea L. showed that it was compatible with different environmental conditions and therefore can be easily expanded to produce medicinal products.