Seed Morphology and Its Taxonomic Significance of Spiraea L. in China

The seed morphology of 29 taxa (including 25 species and 4 varieties) from Spiraea L. in China was studied using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that seeds of Spiraea were narrowly linear to elliptic in shape, with testa lustrous and striate, reddish brown to dark brown in color. Ornamentation of seed coat was ascribed into four types, reticulate, double reticulate, areolate and chainlike reticulate. The ratio of seed length to width (L/W) supported the traditional division of the subgroups in this genus. Seed surface sculpture may have definite systematic importance in the taxonomy of Spiraea species.