Leaf Micromorphology and Pollen Grain Characteristics of Nicotiana glauca. R.C. Graham and Nicotiana tabacum. L.(Solanaceae, Nicotianoideae)

The micromorphological variation of the leaf and pollen grain characteristics in two species of Nicotiana was examined using a light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These species are Nicotiana glauca R.C. Graham (wild species) and Nicotiana tabacum L. (cultivated species). The leaves are simple. The other leaf micromorphological features presented variation. The leaf architectural characteristics were also observed. Leaf venation is pinnate brochidodromous. The epidermal cell shape, on the abaxial leaf surface, is polygonal to irregular in Nicotiana glauca but it is so adaxially in all the two species the cells are irregular on both the epidermal layers. The anticlinal walls are either straight or sinuous. The leaves are amphistomatic. The stomata are commonly anomocytic to anisocytic. Foliar trichomes are glandular and non-glandular. Some of the foliar micromorphological characters as viewed under SEM were beneficial in species identification. The pollen shape is prolate with aperture tricolpate without opercula, the colpi shallow sunken with their ends acute. The exine sculpture is reticulate with granulate or granulate-microperforated to fine granulate and irregularly reticulate to perforate. Keywords: Leaf micromorphology- Pollen grains - Light microscope (LM); Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)- Nicotiana Solanaceae -Nicotianoideae.

Notes on leaf micromorphology of the rare herbaceous bamboo Buergersiochloa bambusoides Pilg. (Olyreae, Poaceae) from New Guinea and its taxonomic implications

We present notes on the leaf micromorphology of Buergersiochloa bambusoides, a rare species from New Guinea and included in Buergersiochloinae, one of three subtribes of the herbaceous bamboos (tribe Olyreae). We used scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy to analyze the microcharacters of both adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces. Within the Olyreae, saddle-shaped silica bodies in both the costal and intercostal zones are considered unique to Buergersiochloinae. Simple, circular and very small papillae are observed on the adaxial surface, and for the first time, branched papillae on the abaxial surface are observed in B. bambusoides. On the abaxial surface, there are papillae on long cells associated with the stomatal complexes. Bicellular microhairs are the only trichomes present and they are found almost exclusively on the abaxial surface. The saddle-shaped silica bodies are the most taxonomically important among the microcharacters observed on the leaf surface of B. bambusoides.

Description of the a species Peliosanthes curviandra (Asparagaceae) from Vietnam with focus on androecium structure and leaf micromorphology

Peliosanthes curviandra is described and illustrated as a new species from southern Vietnam. The new species is characterized by the unusual androecium comprising three erect and curved stamens, perfectly inferior ovary, and a slender tortuous style. The results of observations on the androecium structure and micromorphology of leaf blades were also presented, and the data obtained were briefly discussed in comparison with those known for some other congeners.

Comparative leaf micromorphology of Drypetes and Putranjiva (Putranjivaceae) and its taxonomic significance

Putranjivaceae are a pantropically distributed but poorly known glucosinulate-producing family of three genera (Drypetes, Putranjiva and Sibangea), previously included in Euphorbiaceae subfamily Phyllanthoideae. Characters of the leaf epidermis were previously suggested as being of infrafamilial taxonomic relevance, but epidermal features of the three genera have not so far been compared in the light of the phylogenetic relationships recovered by molecular data. Therefore, we compared the leaf micromorphology of 44 (out of c. 200) Drypetes spp. and two (out of three) Putranjiva spp. using light microscopy. Our findings revealed that there are more stomata types than previously reported in both genera. We also present a new record of stomatal complexes and epidermal cell characteristics. The cell wall ornamentation character on both surfaces of the epidermis is useful for distinguishing D. aframensis subsp. aframensis. Based on a combination of the studied characters, doubtful species of Drypetes and Putranjiva are recognizable as belonging to the two genera, and this will require taxonomic and nomenclatural adjustments. Other taxonomically useful characters are trichome distribution and types and leaf areole shape and tertiary veins branching patterns that appear to be relatively constant across the two genera. Oil droplets located within the cell lumen in Putranjiva differentiates it from Drypetes, where they inwardly streak the epidermal walls among other features. Thus, our study provides evidence that the investigated leaf micromorphological characters are useful for distinguishing the species of the two genera, and they corroborate the existing infrageneric classification of Drypetes that was based on exomorphology.

Using leaf micromorphology as a tool for identifying tree seedlings: a proof of concept using a fast technique

A identificação eficaz de espécies vegetais é fundamental para uma melhor compreensão da regeneração natural. Contudo, métodos taxonômicos clássicos dependem de estruturas reprodutivas, geralmente ausentes em indivíduos jovens. Para superar essa dificuldade, várias abordagens podem ser aplicadas, sendo um bom exemplo a anatomia externa da epiderme foliar (doravante micro-morfologia). Portanto, nosso objetivo foi testar se a micro-morfologia da epiderme foliar pode fornecer caracteres distintivos suficientes para a identificação de plântulas de espécies arbóreas em geral. Escolhemos seis espécies comuns da Floresta Estacional do Sul do Brasil para realizar uma prova de conceito, sendo coletadas de duas a quatro folhas de plântulas selecionadas aleatoriamente (cinco repetições/espécies). Em seguida, a epiderme foliar foi pressionada em uma lâmina de microscopia com adesivo instantâneo, cuja imagem impressa foi analisada em busca de características diagnósticas. As análises mostraram que várias características anatômicas da superfície foliar são suficientemente distintas para permitir uma identificação correta das espécies, como o formato das paredes anti-clinais das células epidérmicas, o formato dos estômatos e a presença/ausência de glândulas e cutícula. Portanto, a conclusão deste estudo é que a micro-morfologia epidérmica foliar pode ser usada como fonte de características diagnósticas para identificar corretamente as plântulas de espécies florestais.

Taxonomic Implications of Leaf Micromorphology Using Microscopic Analysis: A Tool for Identification and Authentication of Korean Piperales

A comparative study of the leaf micromorphology of Korean Piperales, including medicinal materials, was performed through light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, to evaluate their taxonomic significance. Piperales possessed both amphistomatic and hypostomatic leaves. The epidermal area ranged from 38 to 5077 μm2, and the stomatal area ranged from 201 to 2129 μm2. The stomatal index on the abaxial surface was higher than that on the abaxial surface. Anomocytic stomata occurred most commonly, but actinocytic, anisocytic, tetracytic, and staurocytic stomata were also found in certain taxa. Secretory idioblasts were found on all taxa studied except Aristolochia. Three main types of trichomes were defined—(1) glandular trichome; (2) simple multicellular trichome; and (3) two-armed multicellular Y-shaped trichome. Although the quantitative data on its own had somewhat limited taxonomic value, the various qualitative characteristics (e.g., epidermal surfaces, stomata types and positions, trichome types and density, and secretory idioblast types) had great taxonomic value. These characteristics might be taxonomically relevant and useful for developing an identification key. Additionally, we evaluated and supported the previous taxonomic system of Korean Asarum, using leaf micromorphological characteristics. Finally, through the application for authentication of herbal medicine, we revealed that leaf micromorphological characteristics can be used for accurate authentication.

Leaf micromorphology in Poaceae subtribe Olyrinae (Bambusoideae) and its systematic implications

We analysed the leaf epidermal surfaces of 52 species of herbaceous bamboos belonging to all 20 genera of subtribe Olyrinae (Olyreae). We used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM) to describe their foliar microcharacters and test the taxonomic utility of these characters in the subtribe. Shape and distribution of silica bodies, presence, type and distribution of papillae on the long cells and subsidiary cells and the presence and distribution of prickles and macrohairs were found to be taxonomically informative, whereas microhairs were not useful in this group. The type of papillae on the abaxial surface had a robust taxonomic value mainly at the generic level, whereas the distribution of these microstructures helped to differentiate some species of Arberella, Cryptochloa, Diandrolyra, Olyra, Piresia and Sucrea. We also confirmed that in some species, papillae associated with the stomata are on the long cells and project over the stomatal complexes, whereas in other species they occur on the subsidiary cells.

Leaf micromorphology of the Persicaria sect. Cephalophilon (Polygonaceae) and its systematic re-evaluation

A comparative study of the leaf microstructures of 19 taxa belonging to the Persicaria sect. Cephalophilon and related four Koenigia taxa was performed by LM and SEM to evaluate their systematic significance. Both amphistomatic and hypostomatic leaves were observed in the taxa studied. The stomatal size ranged from 17.04–41.96 × 13.41–37.30 μm, and stomata on the adaxial side were larger than those on the abaxial side in general. Anomocytic stomata occurred most commonly, but more than one type of stomata was observed on the same surface. Paracytic stomata was found in both Persicaria palmata and P. criopolitana. The epidermal cells usually have straight to sinuate anticlinal cell walls (ACW), and the ACW on the abaxial side of most taxa is much more undulated than that on the adaxial side. Cuticular striation was observed in most of the studied taxa, which was restricted to only the adaxial side. Two types of crystals were observed: druse and prismatic, and seven types of trichome were recognized: five types of non-glandular trichomes (stellate with smooth surface, multiseriate with either smooth or striated surface, and uniseriate with either smooth or papillose surface), and two types of glandular trichomes (peltate and long-stalked pilate). The leaf micromorphology in this study was categorized into five types based on the stomata, epidermis, crystal and trichome, as further systematic significance of the leaf epidermal characters within the P. sect. Cephalophilon are discussed. In addition, we propose a new taxonomic combination in the P. sect. Cephalophilon.