BOTANICAL STUDIES ON TWO WILD MEDICINAL PLANTS (DAMSISA AND WILD MINT) IN FAYOUM

Abstract

The present study was carried out in the Experimental Station, Faculty of Agriculture at Fayoum, Cairo University, during the two successive seasons 1996/ 1997 and 1997/ 1998 to study the effect ofN and K fertilizers in combinatiollG at different levels on morphological characters, anatomical observations and chemical constituents of damsisa and wild mint plants grown either in clay or calcareous soil. The results could be summarized as follows:- Morphological characters:-

Plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, leaf area index, number of inflorescences and peduncle length and fresh weight as well as dry weight in damsisa and wild mint plants grown in clay or calcareous soil were significantly increased at all NK treatments. Moreover, root length of damsisa plants was also increased. The best growth characters were attained at the highest levels of both N and K fertilizers in clay more than in calcareous soil. Anatomical observations

In stems of damsisa and wild mint plants, NK fertilization at all treatments increased stem section diameter. This increase was due to mainly the increase of vascular bundle dimensions and pith diameter. Number and diameter of xylem vessels were also increased. The maximum increase of stem section diameter was noticed at the highest levels ofN and K fertilizers in comparison to tne control. In leaf petiole of damsisa plant grown in clay or calcareous soil, the results showed that, NK- fertilization increased its section diameter, length and width of vascular bundles and pith diameter. Moreover, number and diameter of xylem vessels also were increased. The highest levels of both N and K had the greatest effect on petiole diameter. With regard to leaf blade of both damsisa and wild mint, the anatomical study observed that, either in clay or calcareous soil, all NK