29 Proc. Geor. Acad. Sci., Biol. Ser. B, 2, 1-2 : 29-34; 2004 Botany Embryology of Gentiana angulosa and G. pontica (Gentianaceae) M. Akhalkatsi, G. Gvaladze, M. Gachechiladze, N. Taralashvili Institute of Botany, Georgian Academy of Sciences Abstract Embryology of two gentians - Gentiana angulosa and G. pontica, has been studied for the first time. They show similar morphology and are considered to be relative species. Embryological study has revealed considerable similarity in structure of reproductive organs of G. angulosa and G. pontica. The common characters are: four-loculate anther; 2-celled mature pollen; superior, cenocarpous and paracarpous ovary; unitegmic, tenuinucellate and anatropous ovule; hypodermal unicellular archesporium; linear tetrad of megaspores; Polygonum type embryo sac; pre-mitotic type of fertilization; nuclear endosperm and Solanad type of embryogenesis. The investigated species differ mainly by two quantitative features – numbers of cell layers in the integument (5-8 in G. angulosa, 9-10 in G. pontica) and the antipodals (3-6 in G. angulosa, 3 in G. pontica). The structural difference is only slightly expressed in seed coat structure, which has taxonomic significance. reziume reziume reziume reziume embriologiurad pirvelad iqnen Seswavlili Gentiana angulosa da G. pontica. isini sistematikosTa azriT axlo naTesaur kavSirs amJRavneben. maT axasiaTebT rigi saerTo niSnebi: oTxbudiani mtvriana; 2-ujrediani mwife mtvris marcvali; zeda, cenokarpuli, parakarpuli naskvi; erTsafarveliani, tenuinucelaruli da anatropuli Teslkvirti; hipodermuli, erTujrediani arqesporiumi; megasporebis xazuri tetrada; Polygonum-tipis Canasaxis parki; premitozuri tipis ganayofiereba; birTvuli endospermi; Solanad-tipis Canasaxi. Seswavlili saxeobebi erTmaneTisagan gansxvavdebian ZiriTadad ori raodenobrivi niSniT, rogoricaa integumentis Sreebis raodenoba (5-8, G. angulosa-Si, 8- 10, G. pontica-Si) da antipodebis ricxvi (3-6, G. angulosa-Si, 3, G. pontica-Si). mcireodeni struqturuli sxvaobaa nanaxi Teslis garsis zedapiris agebulebaSi, romelsac taqsonomiuri mniSvneloba aqvs. Key Words: Embryology, ovule, seed, Gentiana. Introduction Embryology of two species of the genus Gentiana - G. angulosa and G. pontica, has been studied for the first time. They show similar morphology and are considered to be relative species. Often they are identified as subspecies or varieties of one species (Gagnidze, 1985; Halbmayr, 1990). In “Flora of Europe” (Tutin et al., 1972) one of them is identified as variety (G. verna var. angulosa Kusn.) and the other as subspecies (G. verna ssp. pontica (Soltok) Hayek) of G. verna. All three species are perennial herbs. Vegetative parts and flowers of G. verna are smaller than that of G. angulosa and G. pontica. The main difference, however, is a form of calyx. Teeth and tube of calyx in G. angulosa and G. pontica are with clearly visible wings, which are absent in G. verna. G. pontica, in addition has more wide, ovate and obtuse leaves. These data show that morphological characteristics are not sufficient criteria for their identification. It is necessary to conduct further study of these species using embryological and molecular systematic approaches.