SEED INTEGUMENT IN LUPINUS (FABACEAE) IN TUNISIA

Study of integument, using light and scanning electron microscopy, in the seeds of five species of Lupines growing in Tunisia revealed anato mical structure similar to that of most Papilionaceae : a layer of Mal phigian cells, a layer of hourglass-shaped cells and a parenchyma laye r. Analysis of the surface of the integument revealed four types of or namentation : 1) a crater shape in L. angustifolius L.; 2) foveolate i n L. albus L. cv. Mekna; 3) protuberances not exceeding 10 mu m in dia meter in L. angustifolius L., L. luteus L. and L. micranthus Guss. and 4) protuberances 160 mu m in diameter in L. cosentinii Guss. It also revealed intraspecific variation in ornamentation in L. angustifolius L, intraspecific stability in L. luteus L. and L. cosentinii Guss. and interspecific similarity for L. cosentinii Guss. and the Lupines belo nging to the rough seed group.