Spermoderm Diversity in Ashwagandha, Withania Somnifera (L.) Dunal

Seeds morphology of twelve different morphotypes of Withania somnifera is studied to elucidate intraspecific variability in spermoderm pattern that may have value as a microtaxonomic parameter for botanical identification of seed mixtures. Four different types of testa have been observed i.e., fossulate, striate, sinuous and muri type in which striate and sinuous are more common. Most of the seeds were characterised by hair like structures or fibrils which surround each cell. Spermoderm pattern in the diploid is quite different in the derived tetraploid, the latter showing enlarged cell size. One way ANOVA depicted significant differences between the genotypes.