ANATOMICAL STRUCTURE OF ASSIMILATIVE ORGANS IN DOMINANT SPECIES OF THE FAMILY CHENOPODIACEAE (AMARANTHACEAE S.L.).

The Chenopodiaceae family is one of the largest and most ancient families in arid regions of the globe. The representatives of this family, being dominants and edificators of many desert plant communities, play a significant role in forming the vegetation cover, particularly the species of the Salsoloideae subfamily. A characteristic feature of the anatomical structure of Chenopodiaceae species is the presence of Kranz cells. The discovery of a unique pathway of primary carboxylation, known as the C4 dicarboxylic acid cycle, has led to a rapid development of biochemical and anatomical research. It is known that the Chenopodiaceae family has the largest number of species with the C4 photosynthesis type and the greatest diversity in C4 leaf anatomy. This study aimed to identify the anatomical structural features of the dominant species of the Chenopodiaceae family growing in arid regions. The study objects are species of the Chenopodiaceae family growing in arid territories of the Kyzylorda region in Kazakhstan. Cross-sections of samples were made using a "Semi-automatic Rotary Microtome M530" (MEDITE M530). The thickness of the cross-sections was 40 μm. The cross-sections were examined using a Levenhuk Zoom&Joy microscope (China), and images were taken with a Levenhuk D740T 5.1 camera using the LevenhukLite software. The study of the anatomical structure of assimilative organs revealed the following types: Cоrispermоid-type, Ventrо-dоrsal type, Kоchiоid-type, Atriplicоid-type, Salsina-type, Shоberia-type, Salsоlоid-type, and Climacоptera-type. The anatomical structure of Atriplex dimorphostegia was clarified. Haloxylon aphyllum was transferred from the Kranz-ventrodorsal type to the Salsoloid type. For the first time, a detailed anatomical structure of the leaves of Salsola sogdiana and Caroxylon nitrarium species was described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]