Comparative Anatomical and Morphological Study of Three Populations of Salvia aethiopis L. Growing in the Southern Balkhash Region

The manuscript presents the results of morpho-anatomical structure of vegetative organs of Salvia aethiopis L. S. aethiopis L. is a promising medicinal plant of flora of Kazakhstan, which is able to grow under certain soil and climatic conditions. According to its anatomical and morphological features, S. aethiopis L. is a drought-resistant plant that does not tolerate excess moisture. The aim of the study was to investigate the morpho-anatomical structure of S.aethiopis L. plants growing in three different populations of the South Balkhash region of the country. As a result of the study of the morpho-anatomical structure of vegetative organs of the studied plants, the following fea-tures of xeromorphic structure of S.aethiopis L. were noted: strong pubescence of all above-ground parts of plants by simple, globular and glandular hairs, well expressed cuticle with small spinules, presence of cuticular thickening of guard cells, large number of stomatal apparatus on lower epidermis. A comparative analysis of the structure of plants of three different populations showed that in the stem of plants of population N2 1 the primary cortex and the diameter of the central cylinder are more pronounced in comparison with plants growing in populations N2 2 and N2 3, which is due to the growing conditions of these populations. In plants of population N2 1, an increase in the thickness of the leaf blade as well as inclusions of essential oils, which are localized in single or paired essential oil passages, were noted. In plants of populations N2 1 and N2 2, the more essential oil passages were observed. The studied plants of population N2 1 have the most pronounced thickness of the primary bark than plants of populations N2 2 and N2 3. The revealed changes in the morpho-anatomical structure of plants are associated with the influence of various environmental and anthropogenic factors depending on the location of the studied plants.