Morphological features of fruits, seeds and seedlings of <i>Aerva lanata</i> (L.) Juss. in the conditions of introduction to the Southern coast of the Crimea

The results of the study of the early stages of the ontogenesis of Aerva lanata (L.) Juss. in the conditions of introduction to the Southern coast of the Crimea are presented. Morphobiological signs of seeds, morphological features of fruits, seeds and seedlings were revealed. The fruit of A. lanata is a densely pubescent single-seeded box of a rounded shape from greenish to cream color. The morphometric parameters of the seeds have a very low level of variability (from 5 to 10%). On average, their length is 0.72 mm, width - 0.55 mm, and thickness - 0.40 mm. As a result of the research, the seeds were found to be of different quality. Immature seeds from red to dark brown are located mainly in the upper and middle part of the inflorescence. The marginal embryo is milky in color, covering the abundant perisperm in a semicircle, on average 1.55 mm in length and 0.16 mm in width. The seedlings are small lobe-shaped, petiolate light green 2 mm long and 1 mm wide. The hypocotyl is white 0.4 mm long. According to the method of distribution of diaspores, A. lanata refers to barochora plants. The coefficient of semenification was 36.2%.