Nature of ergastic substances in some Nigerian asteraceae

Abstract

Seeds of 110 species of the Nigerian Asteraceae were examined for fats and oils, proteins and starch using standard detection procedures. All the examined species except for 8 species were herbs. Fats and oils were found in all the species investigated comprising of both herbs and shrubs
(100% detection rate). Protein bodies were found in 23 species. While starch grains were found to be absent in all the investigated species. There was no correlation between life forms and the nature of ergastic substances in the family. The results from this study did not support the changes of names in the revision of the tribe Vernonieae as such this character cannot be used as a delimiting species.

Keywords: Ergastic substances, Shrubs, Herbs, Asteraceae.