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Serbian spruce (Picea omorika /Panč./ Purkyne) is rare and endangered tertiary relict and endemic species in the Balkan Peninsula. Its natural distribution is fragmented and restricted to western Serbia and eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, mainly in the canyon of middle course of the Drina river. Since the mid-19th century, the number and size of populations have been steadily decreasing accompanied by a decline in the number of mature individuals, endangering natural regeneration is endangered. The objective of this study is to determine variability within Serbian spruce (Picea omorika /Panč./ Purkyne) natural population in the canyon of the Mileševka river on the basis of morphological and anatomical characteristics of needles and, thus, to broaden knowledge on this rare and endangered species. Twigs with needles collected from all mature individuals that represent the population were used as material for the study. The following morphological and anatomical characteristics were measured: NL- needle length; NH - needle height; NW - needle width; CT+EH - cuticle + epidermis height; HH - hypodermis height; VB - vascular bundle diameter; No of SC - number of resin channels; SC diameter - resin channel diameter. The average values of the measured characteristics are: needle length 13.23 mm; needle width 1239.93 m; needle height 608.63 m; cuticle + epidermis height 11.49; hypodermis height 17.59 m; vascular bundle diameter 220.64 m; number of resin channels 0.74; resin channel diameter 52.36 m. The characteristics with the highest variability are as follows: number of resin channels (161.64%); resin channel diameter (25.35%); hypodermis height (20.79%), while the needle width is a characteristic with the lowest variability (6.39%). The results of the analysis of variance showed very high statistical differences within population for all studied characteristics (p<0.01; a=0.05). In order to make the results clearer, it is necessary to investigate the genetic diversity and population structure by analyzing various phenotypic characteristics in specially designed experiments (e.g. progeny tests) as well as by analyzing appropriate DNA markers. The studied population must be involved in continuous conservation and breeding processes, especially through appropriate forms of ex situ conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variability of eight morpho-anatomical traits of two-year-old needles of the Macedonian pine (Pinus peuceGriseb.), collected from natural populations of Montenegro (Zeletin and Sjekirica) and Serbia (Mokra Gora), was investigated. The needles have two resin ducts of the external type (touching epidermis). The average values were as follows: 7.14 cm (needle length), 0.86 mm (needle width), 0.66 mm (needle thickness), 13.32 μm (cuticle+epidermis thickness), 16.24 μm (height of hypodermal cells), 1.45 (number of hypodermis layers), 2 (number of resin ducts) and 52.45 μm (resin duct diameter). The most variable characters were needle width and needle thickness. PCA visualizes overlapping of three populations. Cluster analysis suggests that the Sjekirica population is more similar to the Mokra Gora population than to the geographically nearest population of Zeletin. Given results are discussed in relation to our previous investigations of this species based on terpenes andn-alkanes, where the population from Mt. Zeletin also exhibited differences compared to the population from other Balkan localities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Variability of eight morpho-anatomical characters of 2-year-old needles of the Bosnian pine (Pinus heldreichiiChrist.), collected from natural populations in Montenegro (Lovćen, Zeletin and Bjelasica) and Serbia (Zlatibor-Pešter) were investigated. The needles have 0–13 resin ducts, predominantly of the medial type (settled in mesophyll tissue). The average values were as follows: 7.86 cm (needle length), 1.44 mm (needle width), 0.85 mm (needle thickness), 20.82 μm (cuticle+epidermis thickness), 21.08 μm (height of hypodermal cells), 3.31 (number of hypodermis layers), 4 (number of resin ducts)57.05 μm (resin duct diameter). Needle width and thickness were the most variable characters. Principal component analysisseparation of the geographically most distant populations Lovćen and Zlatibor-Pešter from themselves and from other populations. Cluster analysis suggests biggest similarities between populations Lovćen and Bjelasica and biggest differences between Lovćen and Zlatibor-Pešter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the research on the variability of the morpho-anatomical properties of the Serbian spruce (Picea omorika/PanČ./ Purkyne), we investigated seven characteristics of 2-year-old needles, collected from four natural populations in Serbia. The hypodermis of the Serbian spruce subject to our study is single layered. The needles sport 0–2 resin ducts, predominantly of the external type (touching the epidermis). The average values were as follows: 13.60 mm (needle length), 1.49 mm (needle width), 0.82 mm (needle thickness), 22.83 μm (cuticle+epidermis thickness), 17.51 μm (hypodermis thickness), 0.74 (number of resin ducts), and 51.82 μm (resin duct diameter). Needle width and thickness were the most variable characteristics. Principle component analysis visualizes an overlapping among the populations in the region of Mt. Tara and a partial separation of the population from Mileševka Canyon. Cluster analysis suggests the biggest differentiation between geographically distant populations (Štula and Mileševka Canyon). All the analyzed characteristics were compared with appropriate literature sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]