Abstract:
Authenticated identification of medicinal plants always had been an issue because of
their local names misunderstanding and multiple morphological similarities. Hence the present study
was an effort to provide some authenticated taxonomic tools for identification of three valuable
selected medicinal plants of the family Solanaceae. i.e., Datura stramonium L., Solanum nigrum L.
and Withania somnifera L. This study was based on multiple parameters (morphology, anatomy (Light
Microscopy & Scanning electron microscopy), palynology (LM & Scanning Electron Microscopy),
Organoleptography, UV (ultra violet) and IR (infra-red) analysis, solubility, fluorescence and chemical
analysis, so as to establish some reiliable taxonomic tools for recognition of these plants. Anatomical
studies were carried out to identify the species from the taxonomic point of view. A variety of
characters like epidermal cells, subsidiary cells, guard cells, trichomes, macro-hairs, micro-hairs and
stomata were used as a tool for the taxonomic grouping of different species. Pollen characters in all the
three taxa were helpful to distinguish the taxa at species as well as at generic level. The organoleptic,
ultra violet, infra red and chemical analysis of the taxa showed a lot of variation among them. The
present research work provided a comprehensive detail of the systematics along with the
pharmacognosy of selected taxa which can be used as an aid in the identification and exploration of the
medicinal wealth of the Pakistan.
