Scanning electron microscopy of the surface structure of seeds from the genus Epilobium in Fennoscandia for determining the species

Authors

• Bengt Saxén Åbo Akademi

Abstract

The surfaces of seeds from nineteen species of Epilobium in Fennoscandia were investigated with scanning electron microscope. The photographs were taken of seeds at magnifications of approximately 45 or 90 times, respectively, depending on the size of the seed. In addition, photographs of four times higher magnification were taken of the base of each seed, as well as detailed pictures of the seed surface at a magnification of about 560 times. In general, the photographs of the seeds were found to provide sufficient evidence to identify the species.