The anatomical characteristics of 10 species belonging to the genus Lotus L.; L. arabicus L., L. creticus L., L. cytisoides L., L. edulis L., L. glaber Mill. L. glinoides Del., L. halophilus Boiss., L. ornithopodioides L., L. polyphyllos Clarke and L. tetragonolobus L. subtribe Lotinae are investigated using a light Microscope. The results revealed that anatomical characteristics of the stem (outline, epidermal cell shape, number and size of vascular bundles, crystals and tannin cells in both cortex& pith), leaf (midrib region shape, differentiation of mesophyll cells, and presence of tannin cells & crystals) are of taxonomic significance in differentiation and delimitation between the studied species. A dichotomous artificial key is given based on the studied features.
Significant differences between Egyptian Lotus species were observed in this study, which is the first to examine the anatomical traits of vegetative organs used in the differentiation and development of an artificial key for the examined Lotus species.