Comparative Anatomical and Morphological Study of Gentiana Algida and Gentiana Macrophylla in Mongolia

Abstract Two Gentiana species native to Mongolia, Gentiana algida and Gentiana macrophylla, are thoroughly anaturally and morphologically examined in this work. Field research was conducted in several provinces where specimens were collected and studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy. As a result, Gentiana macrophylla displayed an oval stem characterized by substantial sclerenchyma and numerous concentric vascular bundles, whereas Gentiana algida presented a cylindrical, hollow stem featuring a single row of small vascular bundles. Both species exhibited dorsoventral leaf morphology; nevertheless, differences in the configuration of chlorenchyma layers and vascular bundles highlighted their distinct adaptive strategies to local environmental conditions. Moreover, SEM analysis of seed form showed that unlike the smaller, lighter seeds of Gentiana macrophylla, Gentiana algida a produces bigger, denser seeds with a crystalline reticulate surface. These results improve our taxonomic knowledge of the genus Gentiana and provide important new perspectives on the adaptive mechanisms enabling life in very mountainous environments. Combining conventional botanical techniques with cutting-edge imaging technologies creates a solid basis for next research targeted at the sustainable use and preservation of these ecologically and medically important species.