Taxonomic Identification of Dry and Carbonized Archaeobotanical

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Taxonomic Identification of Dry and Carbonized Archaeobotanical Veget Hist Archaeobot (2008) 17 (Suppl 1):S277–S286 DOI 10.1007/s00334-008-0176-4 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Taxonomic identification of dry and carbonized archaeobotanical remains of Cucurbita species through seed coat micromorphology Vero´nica Lema Æ Aylen Capparelli Æ Marı´a Lelia Pochettino Received: 31 October 2007 / Accepted: 7 June 2008 / Published online: 30 July 2008 Ó Springer-Verlag 2008 Abstract Cucurbita seeds are difficult to identify to problem, several authors have made statistical analyses on species level using only their external morphology. In this measurements of seeds, rinds and peduncles of North contribution, we discuss anatomical features of fresh, American Cucurbita (eg. Cucurbita pepo L.) to identify dehydrated and experimentally carbonised specimens that useful diagnostic features (Decker and Wilson 1986; are useful for the identification of archaeological Cucurbita Newsom et al. 1993; Smith 2000, 2006). However, the seeds. Qualitative and quantitative differences in the seed diagnostic criteria of North American Cucurbita seeds are coat micromorphology were found to be the most helpful not always appropriate for the identification of South diagnostic characteristics of South American Cucurbita American species, which include many closely related species. taxa, such as C. maxima Duchesne ssp. maxima, C. maxima Duchesne ssp. andreana (Naudin) Filov. and C. moschata Keywords Seed coat Á Taxonomic identification Á (Lam.) Poir. Cucurbita Several papers have been written about the testa tissues of Cucurbita seeds, most of them providing qualitative descriptions (Lott 1973; Stuart and Loy 1983) but only a Introduction few (Singh and Dathan 1972; Teppner 2004) provide data that is useful for differentiating species. The present study Cucurbita seeds, including archaeological specimens, are is the first archaeobotanical analysis of the characteristics typically identified to species from the qualitative charac- of South American Cucurbita seed testae. In this paper, we teristics of their external morphology, particularly colour, discuss our results, describing the microscopical features of margin and funicular attachment (Cutler and Whitaker fresh, dehydrated and experimentally carbonised Cucurbita 1961; Lira Saade 1995). However, these features are not seed coats that are useful for the identification of archae- always appropriate for the identification of dried or charred ological Cucurbita seeds. archaeobotanical remains (Smith 2000). To address this General features of Cucurbita seeds Communicated by M. van der Veen. Cucurbita seeds are flattened and ellipsoid, with a rela- V. Lema (&) Á A. Capparelli tively more or less pronounced marginal bulge. According Departamento cientı´fico de arqueologı´a, Laboratorio de to Singh and Dathan (1972) the seed coat is comprised of Etnobota´nica y Bota´nica Aplicada, Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Argentina four layers of tissue: epidermis, hypodermis, sclerenchyma, e-mail: [email protected] and aerenchyma, which surround an ‘‘inner zone’’. The epidermis consists of radially elongated cells, which have M. L. Pochettino more or less thickened non-lignified walls (Esau 1977). Laboratorio de Etnobota´nica y Bota´nica Aplicada, Museo de Ciencias Naturales de La Plata, These cells vary in their length, with longer ones typically Paseo del Bosque s/n, 1900 La Plata, Argentina occurring around the marginal bulge (Singh and Dathan 123 S278 Veget Hist Archaeobot (2008) 17 (Suppl 1):S277–S286 1972; Teppner 2004). The hypodermis consists of small 1. Transverse Sections (Tr) were obtained from micro- cells with slightly thickened lignified walls where thick- pyle (C1), middle (C2), and chalaza or basal (C3) ening forms a reticule (Esau 1977;Lott1973). The portions of the seed. Successive sections of C1 and C3 sclerenchyma layer gives the seed coat its firmness were labelled as ‘‘a’’ and ‘‘b’’ as they bordered C2. (Hayward 1953) through sclereids with festooned lignified Between 5 and 11 seeds of each taxon were analysed walls (Esau 1977; Singh and Dathan 1972). The aeren- which resulted in the analysis of 103 thin sections from chyma is comprised of cells with arm-like extensions, all the taxa analysed. which are interspersed with enlarged intercellular spaces 2. Tangential Longitudinal sections (TgLg) were taken (Esau 1977; Hather 2000; Singh and Dathan 1972). Lott from the middle zone (C2). The testa was removed (1973) describes the tissue between the sclerenchymatous from the seed. For the purposes of separating the layer and the cotyledons as a spongy parenchyma formed sclerenchyma tissue, but maintaining its integrity, by dead irregular-shaped cells with numerous outgrowths. tangential sections were immersed in a chemical maceration solution (50% hydrogen peroxide 100 volumes and 50% acetic acid) and boiled for Methodology 10–15 min. To achieve a better understanding of sclerenchyma morphology this type of sectioning was Microscopy was used to study 63 seeds of Cucurbita fici- performed on two specimens: a single C. maxima ssp. folia Hubber, C. moschata, C. maxima Duchesne ssp. maxima cv. criollo seed and a single C. maxima ssp. andreana, C. maxima ssp. maxima cv. zapallito; C. maxima andreana ssp. maxima cv. hubbard; C. maxima ssp. maxima cv. in- 3. Radial Longitudinal section (RdLg) The same proce- gles and C. maxima ssp. maxima cv. criollo. Samples of dure described above for the tangential longitudinal cultivars were provided by the Faculty of Agronomy, La section was used to obtain a radial view of the Plata National University (U.N.L.P.) and C. maxima ssp. sclerenchyma cells of a single C. maxima ssp. maxima andreana samples were collected from several localities in cv. criollo seed. Cordoba province, representing three kinds of pollination The Group 2 seeds (n = 7) were dehydrated by air- (free, autogamic and crossed). Voucher specimens were drying and manually fractured in the middle (C2) for deposited in the Laboratory of Ethnobotany and Applied studying with a stereoscopic microscope as well as SEM Botany (Faculty of Natural Sciences, U.N.L.P.) and in a (at magnifications 80, 370 and 7009). personal collection at the Archaeological Scientific At first, we only considered the qualitative features of Department of La Plata Museum of Natural Sciences the seed coat. As the study progressed, we recognised that (U.N.L.P.). there was a need for quantitative analyses because there Samples were divided into three groups for different were so many qualitative similarities among closely related types of analysis. Seeds in Group 1 (n = 35) were hydrated taxa, for example C. maxima subspecies and cultivars. and the testae cut into thin sections that were observed Therefore, measurements were taken of seed coat cells employing light microscopy (LM). Only the testa tissue from images recorded with a Motic Image Plus 2.0 web layers were studied. camera and its measuring software. To check the accuracy The Group 1 seeds were subjected to three types of thin of the Motic Image Plus 2.0 measurements, the results were sectioning (see Fig. 1): compared with those made with a drawing tube attached to a Leica microscope (DM/LM). Measurements were also calculated from SEM images using the programme Image Tool 3.0. From each measurement, we calculated means and range of width, length and height of cells. Between 20 and 50 measurements on each taxon were taken. Data on C. maxima ssp. maxima were produced by combining the four cultivars. The seeds in Group 3 (n = 21) were charred to observe how carbonisation alters seed shape and size due to expansion or shrinkage of the internal tissue. The samples comprised dried seeds of C. maxima ssp. maxima cv. cri- ollo, C. maxima ssp. andreana, C. moschata and C. ficifolia, which were charred in both an aerobic and Fig. 1 Sections of the studied Cucurbita seeds anaerobic atmosphere in an electric muffle oven at 300°C 123 Veget Hist Archaeobot (2008) 17 (Suppl 1):S277–S286 S279 for 120 minutes. We measured seed dimensions (length, C3b) there are shorter elongated cells, which appear like width and height) before and after charring using digital ‘‘horns’’, and do not surround the short cells (Fig. 2c). This calipers. The best preserved specimens were those charred observation has not been reported previously in the litera- in the aerobic atmosphere. They were manually fractured ture although this pattern is described for C. maxima ssp. in their C2 region and their testae were observed under maxima (Fig. 2e). This observation highlights the impor- SEM at magnifications of 80, 370 and 7009. tance of selecting the proper cross section location to make correct identifications. In both C. ficifolia and C. moschata the bases of the long cells are situated in the submarginal Results and discussion bulges, respectively (Fig. 2a, b; Teppner 2004). Our observations of the C2 region of C. maxima ssp. Seed areas useful for taxonomic identification maxima showed that most of the specimens of the four cultivars have a few long cells, which are not much longer Cutting transverse sections from different parts of the seed than the short ones, forming a protuberance (Fig. 2e). (C1, C2 and C3) allowed us to examine the tissue in detail However, some specimens of cultivars criollo and ingle´s and to conclude that C2 has the most homogeneous tissue had long cells surrounding short cells encompassing one- morphology. Therefore, it was decided that further taxo- third (or less) of the marginal bulge. In some specimens of nomic analysis should be made in this region. It was also landraces from the Argentinean northwest, seed coat type 3 decided that both the flattened area of the seed corre- with a narrow submarginal bulge and long cells encom- sponding to the major faces and the marginal bulge should passing the marginal bulge as proposed by Teppner (2004) be examined. was recognized, therefore it is thought that more specimens of this subspecies should be investigated for this feature. Marginal bulge diagnostic characters Contrary to Teppner’s (2004) report that in C.
Recommended publications
  • Mechanical Stress in the Inner Bark of 15 Tropical Tree Species and The
    Mechanical stress in the inner bark of 15 tropical tree species and the relationship with anatomical structure Romain Lehnebach, Léopold Doumerc, Bruno Clair, Tancrède Alméras To cite this version: Romain Lehnebach, Léopold Doumerc, Bruno Clair, Tancrède Alméras. Mechanical stress in the inner bark of 15 tropical tree species and the relationship with anatomical structure. Botany / Botanique, NRC Research Press, 2019, 10.1139/cjb-2018-0224. hal-02368075 HAL Id: hal-02368075 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02368075 Submitted on 18 Nov 2019 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Mechanical stress in the inner bark of 15 tropical tree species and the relationship with anatomical structure1 Romain Lehnebach, Léopold Doumerc, Bruno Clair, and Tancrède Alméras Abstract: Recent studies have shown that the inner bark is implicated in the postural control of inclined tree stems through the interaction between wood radial growth and tangential expansion of a trellis fiber network in bark. Assessing the taxonomic extent of this mechanism requires a screening of the diversity in bark anatomy and mechanical stress. The mechanical state of bark was measured in 15 tropical tree species from various botanical families on vertical mature trees, and related to the anatomical structure of the bark.
    [Show full text]
  • Dwarf Mistletoes: Biology, Pathology, and Systematics
    This file was created by scanning the printed publication. Errors identified by the software have been corrected; however, some errors may remain. CHAPTER 10 Anatomy of the Dwarf Mistletoe Shoot System Carol A. Wilson and Clyde L. Calvin * In this chapter, we present an overview of the Morphology of Shoots structure of the Arceuthobium shoot system. Anatomical examination reveals that dwarf mistletoes Arceuthobium does not produce shoots immedi­ are indeed well adapted to a parasitic habit. An exten­ ately after germination. The endophytic system first sive endophytic system (see chapter 11) interacts develops within the host branch. Oftentimes, the only physiologically with the host to obtain needed evidence of infection is swelling of the tissues near the resources (water, minerals, and photosynthates); and infection site (Scharpf 1967). After 1 to 3 years, the first the shoots provide regulatory and reproductive func­ shoots are produced (table 2.1). All shoots arise from tions. Beyond specialization of their morphology (Le., the endophytic system and thus are root-borne shoots their leaves are reduced to scales), the dwarf mistle­ (Groff and Kaplan 1988). In emerging shoots, the toes also show peculiarities of their structure that leaves of adjacent nodes overlap and conceal the stem. reflect their phylogenetic relationships with other As the internodes elongate, stem segments become mistletoes and illustrate a high degree of specialization visible; but the shoot apex remains tightly enclosed by for the parasitic habit. From Arceuthobium globosum, newly developing leaf primordia (fig. 10.lA). Two the largest described species with shoots 70 cm tall oppositely arranged leaves, joined at their bases, occur and 5 cm in diameter, toA.
    [Show full text]
  • Ultrastructural Study on the Formation of Sclereids in the Floating Leaves of Nymphoides Coreana and Nuphar Schimadai
    Kuo-HuangBot. Bull. Acad. et al. Sin. — Sclereids(2000) 41: in 283-291Nymphoides and Nuphar 283 Ultrastructural study on the formation of sclereids in the floating leaves of Nymphoides coreana and Nuphar schimadai Ling-Long Kuo-Huang1,2, Su-Hwa Chen1, and Shiang-Jiuun Chen1 1 Department of Botany, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China (Received December 29, 1999; Accepted April 14, 2000) Abstract. The formation of star-shaped sclereids in the floating leaves of Nymphoides coreana and Nuphar schimadai was studied microscopically. These foliar sclereids were associated with the aerenchyma and found as the form of idioblast. The outer surface of mature sclereids was smooth in Nymphoides, but with many prismatic calcium oxalate crystals in Nuphar. However, the early morphogenesis of these two kinds of sclereids was similar. The sclereid initials were distinguished from the neighboring cells by their distinctly large nucleus. The expanding sclereid initials were constrained by the neighboring cells. Crystal formation in young sclereids of Nuphar started near the cessation of sclereid expansion. The crystals were bounded by crystal sheath and located in crystal chambers between the primary cell wall and plasma membrane. Calcium antimonate precipitates were found, especially on the crystal sheaths as well as between the plasma membrane and the primary cell walls. The crystal chambers have a paracrystalline appearance connected with the crystal sheath and the plasma membrane. After formation of crystals, the secondary wall was deposited and then the crystals became embedded between the primary and secondary walls. The possible functions of the foliage sclereids and the plans for further investigation are discussed.
    [Show full text]
  • Epiparasitism in Phoradendron Durangense and P. Falcatum (Viscaceae) Clyde L
    Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany Volume 27 | Issue 1 Article 2 2009 Epiparasitism in Phoradendron durangense and P. falcatum (Viscaceae) Clyde L. Calvin Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, California Carol A. Wilson Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, Claremont, California Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/aliso Part of the Botany Commons Recommended Citation Calvin, Clyde L. and Wilson, Carol A. (2009) "Epiparasitism in Phoradendron durangense and P. falcatum (Viscaceae)," Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany: Vol. 27: Iss. 1, Article 2. Available at: http://scholarship.claremont.edu/aliso/vol27/iss1/2 Aliso, 27, pp. 1–12 ’ 2009, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden EPIPARASITISM IN PHORADENDRON DURANGENSE AND P. FALCATUM (VISCACEAE) CLYDE L. CALVIN1 AND CAROL A. WILSON1,2 1Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, 1500 North College Avenue, Claremont, California 91711-3157, USA 2Corresponding author ([email protected]) ABSTRACT Phoradendron, the largest mistletoe genus in the New World, extends from temperate North America to temperate South America. Most species are parasitic on terrestrial hosts, but a few occur only, or primarily, on other species of Phoradendron. We examined relationships among two obligate epiparasites, P. durangense and P. falcatum, and their parasitic hosts. Fruit and seed of both epiparasites were small compared to those of their parasitic hosts. Seed of epiparasites was established on parasitic-host stems, leaves, and inflorescences. Shoots developed from the plumular region or from buds on the holdfast or subjacent tissue. The developing endophytic system initially consisted of multiple separate strands that widened, merged, and often entirely displaced its parasitic host from the cambial cylinder.
    [Show full text]
  • Anatomy of the Underground Parts of Four Echinacea-Species and of Parthenium Integrifolium
    Scientia Pharmaceutica (Sci. Pharm.) 69, 237-247 (2001) O Osterreichische Apotheker-Verlagsgesellschaft m.b.H., Wien, Printed in Austria Anatomy of the underground parts of four Echinacea-species and of Parthenium integrifolium R. Langer Institute of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna Center of Pharmacy, Althanstrasse 14, A - 1090 Vienna, Austria Improved descriptions and detailed drawings of the most important anatomical characters of the roots of Echinacea purpurea (L.) MOENCH,E. angustifolia DC., E. pallida (NuTT.) NUTT.,and of Parfhenium integrifolium L. are presented. The anatomy of the rhizome of E. purpurea, which was detected in commercial samples, and of the root of E. atrorubens NUTT., another known adulteration for pharmaceutically used Echinacea-species, is documented for the first time. The possibilities and limitations of the identification by means of microscopy are discussed. The anatomical differences between the roots of E. angustifolia, E. pallida and E. atrorubens are not sufficient for differentiation, however, root and rhizome of E. purpurea and the root of Parthenium integrifolium appear well characterized. Because of the highly similar anatomy the microscopic proof of identity and purity of crude drugs of Echinacea must be done with uncomminuted material and the examination of cross sections. (Keywords: Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea atrorubens, Echinacea pallida, Echinacea purpurea, Parthenium integrifolium, Asteraceae, microscopy, anatomy, identification) 1. Introduction The first, and for a long period only, detailed anatomical descriptions of the underground parts of Echinacea were published at the beginning of the last century', '. Due to later changes in the taxonomy within the genus Echinacea, unfortunately the plant sources for these descriptions remain unclear. The increasing interest in Echinacea and the adulterations that had been observed frequently caused Heubl et aL3 in the late eighties to examine the roots of E.
    [Show full text]
  • Response of Avocado Pericarp Tissue to Mechanical Injury
    Proc. of Second World Avocado Congress 1992 pp. 485-488 Response of Avocado Pericarp Tissue to Mechanical Injury C. A. Schroeder Dept. of Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA Abstract. Mechanical injury to avocado (Persea americana Mill.) pericarp will initiate a meristem and the production of periderm. Injury to tissues deep within the pericarp results in cellular differentiation of parenchyma with various degrees of cell wall thickening. Sclereid-like cells with thick, lignified walls and prominent pits can be formed in tissue normally occupied by thin-walled, oil-filled parenchyma. The unique growth and increase in volume of avocado fruit is characterized by continuous cell division in the pericarp tissue from pollination until fruit maturity. Shortly following fruit set, the parenchymatous cells which comprise the major tissue of the pericarp attain a diameter of approximately 50 //m and then undergo mitosis (Schroeder, 1953). Thus cell size is fairly constant and uniform throughout the fleshy pericarp. Larger fruit therefore have more cells than smaller fruit upon reaching maturity. Mitotic activity throughout the pericarp tissue at all times from anthesis to full fruit size is reflected in the high respiratory behavior of the fruit tissue, which is comparable to that of meristematic tissues in general. One can expect meristematic activity in the pericarp tissue at any point in time during fruit development. This has been demonstrated by the successful grafting of nearly mature avocado fruit. Cutting through the thick pericarp of adjacent fruit and holding these together along the cut plane eventually results in development of meristem tissue on the cut surfaces and the union of tissues between the two fruit (Schroeder ef a/., 1959).
    [Show full text]
  • Phloem Structure and Development in Illicium Parviflorum, a Basal Angiosperm Shrub Authors
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/326322; this version posted June 1, 2018. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. 1 Article title: 2 Phloem structure and development in Illicium parviflorum, a basal angiosperm shrub 3 Authors: 4 Juan M. Losada1,2* and N. Michele Holbrook1,2 5 Affiliations: 6 1Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University. 16 Divinity Av., 7 Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA. 8 2Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University. 1300 Centre St., Boston, MA, 02130, USA. 9 *Author for correspondence. 10 Phone: + 1 (617) 384 5631 11 E-mail: [email protected] 12 13 WORD AND FIGURE COUNTS: 14 Total word count: 5,882 15 Introduction: 835 16 Materials and Methods: 1,530 17 Results: 1,412 18 Discussion: 1,939 19 Number of color figures: 8 20 Supporting information figures: 2 21 22 23 1 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/326322; this version posted June 1, 2018. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. 24 SUMMARY 25 Recent studies in canopy-dominant trees revealed a structure-function scaling of the 26 phloem. However, whether axial scaling is conserved in woody plants of the understory, the 27 environments of most basal-grade angiosperms, remains mysterious. We used seedlings 28 and adult plants of the shrub Illicium parviflorum to explore the anatomy and physiology of 29 the phloem in their aerial parts, and possible changes through ontogeny.
    [Show full text]
  • Sclereid Distribution in the Leaves of Pseudotsuga Under Natural and Experimental Conditions Author(S): Khalil H
    Sclereid Distribution in the Leaves of Pseudotsuga Under Natural and Experimental Conditions Author(s): Khalil H. Al-Talib and John G. Torrey Source: American Journal of Botany, Vol. 48, No. 1 (Jan., 1961), pp. 71-79 Published by: Botanical Society of America Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2439597 . Accessed: 19/08/2011 13:16 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Botanical Society of America is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to American Journal of Botany. http://www.jstor.org January, 1961] AL-TALIB AND TORREY-SCLEREID DISTRIBUTION 71 SMITH, G. H. 1926. Vascular anatomyof Ranalian flowers. Aquilegia formosav. truncata and Ranunculus repens. I. Ranunculaceae. Bot. Gaz. 82: 1-29. Univ. California Publ. Bot. 25: 513-648. 1928. Vascular anatomy of Ranalian flowers. II. TUCKER, SHIRLEY C. 1959. Ontogeny of the inflorescence Ranunculaceae (continued), Menispermaceae,Calycan- and the flowerin Drimys winteri v. chilensis. Univ. thaceae, Annonaceae. Bot. Gaz. 85: 152-177. California Publ. Bot. 30: 257-335. SNOW, MARY, AND R. SNOW. 1947. On the determination . 1960. Ontogeny of the floral apex of Micheiat of leaves. New Phytol. 46: 5-19.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 9 a Beginner's Guide to the Study of Plant Structure
    Chapter 9 A Beginner's Guide to the Study of Plant Structure Edward C. Yeung Department of Biological Sciences University of Calgary Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4 Tel: (403) 220-7186; e-mail: [email protected] Edward C. Yeung obtained his B.Sc. from the University of Guelph in 1972 and a Ph.D. in biology from Yale University in 1977. After spending one year as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Ottawa, Dr. Yeung joined the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, where he is now a Professor. His primary research interests have been reproductive biology of higher plants, especially the structural and physiological aspects of embryo development. Reprinted From: Yeung, E. 1998. A beginner’s guide to the study of plant structure. Pages 125-142, in Tested studies for laboratory teaching, Volume 19 (S. J. Karcher, Editor). Proceedings of the 19th Workshop/Conference of the Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE), 365 pages. - Copyright policy: http://www.zoo.utoronto.ca/able/volumes/copyright.htm Although the laboratory exercises in ABLE proceedings volumes have been tested and due consideration has been given to safety, individuals performing these exercises must assume all responsibility for risk. The Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE) disclaims any liability with regards to safety in connection with the use of the exercises in its proceedings volumes. © 1998 Edward C. Yeung Association for Biology Laboratory Education (ABLE) ~ http://www.zoo.utoronto.ca/able 125 126 Botanical Microtechniques
    [Show full text]
  • Leaf Epidermis of the Rheophyte Dyckia Brevifolia Baker (Bromeliaceae)
    Hindawi Publishing Corporation The Scientific World Journal Volume 2013, Article ID 307593, 7 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/307593 Research Article Leaf Epidermis of the Rheophyte Dyckia brevifolia Baker (Bromeliaceae) Ghislaine Maria Lobo,1 Thaysi Ventura de Souza,1 Caroline Heinig Voltolini,2 Ademir Reis,3 and Marisa Santos1 1 Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Cienciasˆ Biologicas,´ Departamento de Botanica,ˆ 88040-900 Florianopolis,´ SC, Brazil 2 Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, 88750-000 Realeza, PR, Brazil 3 HerbarioBarbosaRodrigues,88301-302Itaja´ ´ı, SC, Brazil Correspondence should be addressed to Thaysi Ventura de Souza; [email protected] Received 17 April 2013; Accepted 5 June 2013 Academic Editors: P. Andrade and E. Porceddu Copyright © 2013 Ghislaine Maria Lobo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Some species of Dyckia Schult. f., including Dyckia brevifolia Baker, are rheophytes that live in the fast-moving water currents of streams and rivers which are subject to frequent flooding, but also period of low water. This study aimed to analyze the leaf epidermis of D. brevifolia in the context of epidermal adaptation to this aquatic plant’s rheophytic habitat. The epidermis is uniseriate, and the cuticle is thickened. The inner periclinal and anticlinal walls of the epidermal cells are thickened and lignified. Stomata are tetracytic, located in the depressions in relation to the surrounding epidermal cells, and covered by peltate trichomes. While the epidermal characteristics of D.
    [Show full text]
  • Study on the Seasonal Development of the Secondary Phloem in Larix Leptolepis
    Title Study on the Seasonal Development of the Secondary Phloem in Larix leptolepis Author(s) IMAGAWA, Hitoshi Citation 北海道大學農學部 演習林研究報告, 38(1), 31-44 Issue Date 1981-03 Doc URL http://hdl.handle.net/2115/21047 Type bulletin (article) File Information 38(1)_P31-44.pdf Instructions for use Hokkaido University Collection of Scholarly and Academic Papers : HUSCAP Study on the Seasonal Development of the Secondary Phloem in Larix /epto/epis* By Hitoshi IMAGAWA jJ :7 -:( ';J (Larix leptolepis) (f) 2 tx ffifi $ (f) * frJ E8 ts:. ~ Ji i%I J@P~ 00 -t Q ~ J.'l 4- JII - ~** CONTENTS Introduction .. 31 Materials and Methods . 32 Results and Discussions . 32 1. The development of current growth increment 32 2. The maturation of sclerenchyma cells 37 Literatures Cited . 41 f-J. 41 Explanation of Photographs . 43 Photographs (1-23) Introduction The raidal growth of forest tree is accomplished by cell divisions in the cam­ bium and the phellogen. However, most of it is derived from the cells which are newly produced in the cambium. Cambium which is located between xylem and phloem produces xylem and phloem elements, respectively inward and outward. Therefore, in order to clarify the processes of the radial growth, extensive studies about not only the xylem formation but also the cambial activity itself and the phleom formation are very significant. The xylem formation in Larix leptolepis has been already studied (IMAGA w A and ISHIDA 1970, IMAGA W A et al. 1976). But the phloem elements which are produced simultaneously with the xylem elements have been little dealt with.
    [Show full text]
  • Programmed Cell Death During Plant Growth and Development
    Cell Death and Differentiation (1997) 4, 649 ± 661 1997 Stockton Press All rights reserved 13509047/97 $12.00 Review Programmed cell death during plant growth and development Eric P. Beers tracheary element and sclereid differentiation, sieve element differentiation, and leaf and flower petal senescence. Due to Department of Horticulture, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, the broad range of topics covered, it was not possible to Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0327, USA present in this space comprehensive reviews of each subject. Rather, to examine whether apoptosis is a universal pathway Received 24.2.97; revised 30.6.97; accepted 14.7.97 to pcd in plants, I have reviewed reports describing Edited by B.A. Osborne morphology of cells undergoing pcd during the processes listed above. Information concerning potential biochemical and molecular markers for plant pcd is also reviewed, with Abstract special attention to possible roles for proteases, since This review describes programmed cell death as it signifies research in this area has established proteases as important the terminal differentiation of cells in anthers, xylem, the mediators of pcd in animals. suspensor and senescing leaves and petals. Also described There is continuing interest in whether apoptosis occurs are cell suicide programs initiated by stress (e.g., hypoxia- in plants. Electron microscopy has revealed that during apoptosis in animals, chromatin condenses and segregates induced aerenchyma formation) and those that depend on into sharply delineated masses positioned at the nuclear communication between neighboring cells, as observed for envelope (Ellis et al, 1991; Kerr and Harmon, 1991). incompatible pollen tubes, the suspensor and synergids in Condensed chromatin is electron dense and is often some species.
    [Show full text]