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The genus Ixora L., a member of the diverse Rubiaceae family, encompasses a range of plant forms from shrubs to small or medium-sized trees. Despite its botanical significance and widespread occurrence, there remains a notable paucity of comprehensive morphological research specifically on Ixora species. This research gap has led to widespread misidentification, particularly in regions like Nigeria, where various distinct Ixora species are frequently and erroneously identified solely as Ixora coccinea. Consequently, accurate species-level differentiation within the genus is often confined to their primary centers of origin.
This study aimed to systematically characterize eight Ixora L. species through comprehensive morphological and anatomical evaluations, with the objective of establishing robust identification criteria. Quantitative and qualitative vegetative morphological traits were meticulously recorded using standard measurement tools. Concurrently, quantitative and qualitative anatomical features, including foliar epidermal characteristics, venation patterns, and stomata types, were critically assessed using light microscopy with a calibrated ocular.
Morphological analysis revealed consistent generic traits across all species, such as acute leaf apices, opposite arrangement, attenuate bases, entire margins, and terminal inflorescences, though floral coloration exhibited interspecific variation. All observed morphological and anatomical features demonstrated significant taxonomic utility.
In conclusion, shared morphological characteristics reinforce the grouping of these species within the Ixora genus, while distinct interspecies differences in both morphological and anatomical features provide clear and essential criteria for species-level differentiation and identification.
Keywords: Ixora L., Morphological characters, Anatomical, Morpho-anatomical study, Rubiaceae, Taxonomic significance
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