Abstract:
Cyperaceae (sedges) is one of the most common flowering plant family. It is tenth
largest family among angiosperms, with over 5500 species distributed among 109
genera all over the world. The trigonous stem with typically longer bracts and terminal
flowers are the main differentiating traits of the family members. Sedges are herbs that
live for a long time. These plants have a part in a variety of bioactivities, as well as
having ethnobotanical significance since a variety of plants are used to cure illnesses
organically. Species of cyperaceae may be found in a variety of habitats, including
waterways, marshlands, bogs, and grasslands. The taxonomy of this family is quite
complicated due to the separate inflorescence and multifarious form. The biosystematic
examination of two Cyperaceae species from Bannu, Khyber pukhtunkhwa is the focus
of this work. Initially, stereomicroscope is used to examine various components of the
inflorescence, including the utricle, anthers, pollens, and glumes, in order to reveal
morphological characteristics. The micro-morphological characteristics are shown
using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Herbarium specimens were then
submitted to PMNH, Islamabad. Molecular analysis is used to validate the identity.
DNA is extracted using a 2 percent CTAB DNA extraction procedure, amplified using
a polymerase chain reaction and sequenced using two marker genes: ITS and ETS.
These sequences were eventually submitted to the National Center for Biotechnology
Information (NCBI). For phylogenetic analysis, Geneious prime was utilized. To reveal
the phylogeny, three trees (Bayesian, NJ, and maximum likelihood) were created. This
computer investigation revealed a close link between species and taxa that are similar.
According to the findings, ETS are good marker for identifying these sedge species,
whereas additional study is needed to establish that rbcL and matK are suitable markers
for relevant species.
