Abstract

The present study was conducted to identify, evaluate and compare the anatomical data and elemental composition of the Panicum species present in Pakistan. The study is based on the six species of the genus Setaria represented in Pakistan. The elemental dispersive spectrophotometer (EDS) detector was used for the first time in Pakistan for quantitative and qualitative determinations of the elements present in the phytoliths of grasses. Leaf epidermal anatomy was found taxonomically useful, which helps at the species level and showed that in all the six species of the genus, leaf is bifacial. Epidermal cells show the difference in shape of silica bodies, prickles, micro hairs and macro hairs. A lot of variation was observed in the silica bodies of the genus Panicum showing it as a new taxonomical tool during EDS analysis.

Key words: Elemental dispersive spectrophotometer, morpho-anatomical characterization,Panicum spp.