The genus Silene L. is one of the largest genera in Caryophyllaceae, and is distributed in the Northern Hemisphere and South America. The endemic species Silene leucophylla and the near-endemic S. schimperiana are native to the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. They have reduced population size and are endangered on national and international scales. These two species have typically been disregarded in most studies of the genus Silene. This research integrates the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), species micromorphology, and the phylogenetic analysis of four DNA markers: ITS, matK, rbcL and psb-A/trn-H. Trichomes were observed on the stem of Silene leucophylla, while the S. schimperiana has a glabrous stem. Irregular epicuticle platelets with sinuate margin were found in S. schimperiana. Oblong, bone-shaped, and irregularly arranged epidermal cells were present on the leaf of S. leucophylla, while Silene schimperiana leaf has “tetra-, penta-, hexa-, and polygonal” epidermal cells. Silene leucophylla and S. schimperiana have amphistomatic stomata. The Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of each marker individually or in combination represented the first phylogenetic study to reveal the generic and sectional classification of S. leucophylla and S. schimperiana. Two Silene complexes are proposed based on morphological and phylogenetic data. The Leucophylla complex was allied to section Siphonomorpha and the Schimperiana complex was related to section Sclerocalycinae. However, these two complexes need further investigation and more exhaustive sampling to infer their complex phylogenetic relationships.

Numerical taxonomy is employed to determine the phenetic proximity of the Egyptian taxa belonging to the genus Ononis L. A classical clustering analysis and a principal component analysis (PCA) were used to separate 57 macro-and micromorphological characters in order to circumscribe 11 taxa of Ononis. A clustering analysis using the unweighted pair-group method with the arithmetic means (UPGMA) method gives the highest co-phenetic correlation. Results from clustering and PCA revealed the segregation of five groups. Our results are in line, to some certain degree, with the traditional sub-sectional concept, as can be seen in the grouping of the representative members of the subsections Diffusae and Mittisimae together and the representative members of the subsections Viscosae and Natrix. The phenetic uniqueness of Ononis variegata and O. reclinata subsp. mollis was formally established. However, our findings contradict the classic sectional concept; this opinion was suggested earlier in previous phylogenetic circumscriptions of the genus. The most useful characters that provide taxonomic clarity were discussed.

The genus Ononis comprises 86 species worldwide distributed in temperate regions. It is represented in Egypt by ten species. During recent excursions to the mountains of southern Sinai Peninsula, a newly recorded species, namely O. viscosa subsp. breviflora, was collected. This new record was previously confused with O. sicula. These two species can be differentiated by corolla length and shape. This study provides a full taxonomic revision of the genus for the flora of Egypt, updated nomenclature for all taxa, amended descriptions, detailed hand drawings, and a diagnostic key to the species. The most valuable diagnositic characters in the taxonomy of the genus in Egypt are discussed. After critical examination and literature study, we found that two names (O. serrata and O. vaginalis) needed to be lectotypified.