MORPHOLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE LAMIACEAE FAMILY IN CENTRAL ASIA

Yusupova  Zokhidakhon Abdumalikovna

Authors

Yusupova Zokhidakhon Abdumalikovna Author

Abstract

The family Lamiaceae (Labiatae) represents one of the largest groups of dicotyledonous flowering plants, comprising, according to modern estimates, about 7,000 species in more than 230 genera, with centers of diversity in the Mediterranean region, the Irano-Turanian province, and several arid regions of Eurasia. The family is characterized by a stable set of morphological traits-quadrangular stem, opposite leaves, bilabiate zygomorphic corolla, and schizocarp fruit dividing into four nutlets-as well as high essential oil content and pronounced ecological plasticity.This article provides an extended morphological and anatomical characterization of Lamiaceae representatives and analyzes their adaptive traits and morphometric variability (including seed productivity) based on examples from Central Asia, particularly Uzbekistan. Issues related to the conservation of rare and endemic taxa of the family are also discussed.

References

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