Variation of micromorphological characters of lemma and palea in the genusBromus (Poaceae)

Micromorphological features of the lemma and palea were investigated for 77 species in the genus Bromus (Poaceae) using scanning electron microscopy. Several micromorphological characters of both long and short cells (cork ce lls, crown cells, prickles and macrohairs) were observed. All were treated as separate characters, although crown cells, prickles and macrohairs are t reated as a single group (exodermic cells) owing to the protrusion of their periclinal wall. The main objectives of this work ar e to assess the value of the micromorphological typology in systematic studies, and to character ize the six subgenera of Bromus, using micromorphological features of the l emmas and paleas.