S a r in , M N. 1960. Physiological studies on S in g h , M., P. L al, a n d K.S. Sinoh. 1971. ■alt tolerance of crop XV. Influence Preliminary studies on the salt tolerance of of sodium sulphate on chemical composition moong (Phaseohs aureus Roxb. var. R_s-5) of Cicer arletinum seedlings. Uoydia. 23: seeds at stage. Ann. Arid Zone 65-71. 10. 255-260.

J. Indian bot. See. 58: 14S-15.1. 1979.

NODAL ORGANIZATION IN SOME OF THE ^

By M eena K ashyap* Botany Department, Meerut University, Meerut*

A bstract

The nodal structure of sixteen species of Raounculaccae reveals four types of nodal organization (I) Trilacunar three traced (2) Bilacunar two traced (3) Unilacunar one traced (4) Multilacunar multitraced. Twelve of the species {Ranunculus taelus, R. arvensis, R. muricatus, R. scteralus, R. aqualilis. R. diffusus. Delphinium, ajacix. triloha, C. grata, C. puberula, C. paniculate!. and Thalictrum sanictilaej'orme) show a trilacunar three traced condition, Bllacunar condition has been iiotcj in Ranunculus auriconus and in one node of Clematis pentculatn. Helleborus faetidus aloiK presents a unilacunar condition. The multilacunar condition is present in Aquilegia Bulgaria with seven traces and in Ranunculus hirtellus with four traces. Based on these obiervatioas a probable couise of evolution in ihc nodal vasculature has been suggested, Trilacunar three traced condition in which all the tlireo traces show branching as in Thalictrum saniculaeforme is thought to be the least advanced. From this bisjc type, unilacunar and multilacunar nodes have been derived through intermediate stages of trilacunar, bilacunar and tetralacunar condition. Clematis with opposite leaves is supposed to be forming a separate line in which reduction of laterals has progrcsssd. The absence of laterals or their extension only into the cortex of the node is taken as an indication how progression has taken place from a trilacunar to bi or unilacunar condition.

I ntroduction the node in some Anemoneae to be multilacunar. Most of the Helle- Sianott (1914) while investigating the boreae including sometimes Aquilegia nodal pattern in dicotyledons described were described as trilacunar. Ezelerab and Dormer (1963) made a detailed study of the vascular patterns in Ranunculaceae 1. Accepted for publication on October 12, 1978. and concluded that the family shows such 'Present address: Botany School, Cam­ diversified characters that it is possible to bridge University, Cambridge, U.K. derive many lines of progress of evolution. 1 am tluinkful to Professor Y.S. Murty for his He found, in almost all the plants he constant intertst in my work and for going studied, a multilacunar or trilacunar tbroitgh the manuscript so critically and making UMfbl suWB*tions and also to Dr Vishnu Kuraai condition at the base and a gradual reduc­ for help in various ways- tion in the number of traces and gaps higher up reaching unilacunar condition (2) Multilacunar multitraced. in the inflorescence node. With a view (3) Bilacunar two traced. to study the nodal vasculature in the (4) Unilacunar one traced. family in greater detail this work was (1) Trilacunar three-traced.—This is undertaken and the vascular supply of the the most common condition noted in node of sixteen species belonging to six Ranunculus lactus, R. arvensis. R. muricatus, genera has been studied. R. scleratus, R. aquatilis, R. diffusus. Del­ phinium ajacis. Clematis triloba, C. grata, M aterial a n d M etho d C. puberula, C. paniculata and Thalictrum saniculaeformc. The nodal anatomy of All the material for the present study R. lactus is described in detail and varia­ was collected or obtained from various tions in other species are recorded where- places. Except for HcUehours foctidus and ever neccssary. Ranunculus auriconus which were collected A transverse section of the intcrnodc by Dr N.P. Saxena in Switzerland, shows a peripheral ring of conjoint coll­ all other species {Ranunculus lactus, R. ateral endarch bundles of ditrcrent sizes arvensis, R. aquatiHs, R. muricatus, R. (Fig. 1). The leaves arc alternate as such diffusus, R. hirteUus, R. sderatus, R. traces for one leaf leave the vascular scleratus, Clematis, triloba, C. grata, C. cylinder at a particular level. The bundles paniculata, C. puberula, AquHegia vulgaris. present on the side of the appearing leaf Delphinium ajacis, Thalictrum saniculae- show some anastomosing (I'ig. 2). Three farme), are Indian. All the material was traces consisting of one large prominent fixed in F.A.A. After washing with 70% bundle occupying the median position and alcohol it was passed for dehydration in two smaller ones from the lateral position tertiary butyl alcohol and embedded in diverage out from the central va.scularcylin- paraffin wax. Sections were cut 10 to 12(x der causing three gaps (Figs. 3). The two thick and stained with crystal violet large bundles on either side of the median erytJirosin combination. trace show .splitting and form a number of bundles constituting the supply of the O bservations axillary branch (Fig. 4|. Ihe remaining vascular bundles of the node show organi­ The sixteen species chosen for the study zation forming a complete ring of vascular show variation in their habit i.e., annual bundles that continue into the next inter­ herbs {Delphinium, Ranunculus) {perennial node. The leaf base containing three herbs {Helleborus), climbing shrubs bundles separates from the node. These {Clematis) aquatic herbs (ii. aquatiHs) bundles remain unbranched within the leaf mostly alternate (Ranunculus, Thalicrum, base. The vascular bundles of the main Aquilegia etc.) or opposite leaves axis and the axillary branch reorganize {Clematis). The genus Thalicitrum also into a ring. Following the separation of shows conspicuous sheathing leaf base as the leaf base the axillary bud also separates well as stipules. , from the main axis (Fig. 5). This type The nodal vasculature of these species of nodal vasculature is exhibited by all can be distinguished into four categories species of Ranunculus listed above and viz. Delphinium ajacis (Fig. 6), (1) Trilacunar three traced. However, in Clematis the leaves are opposite and as such after supplying traces the departure of the leaf traces the bundles for both the leaves the central vascular near the median gap show some branching tissue divides into three parts - the central and organize into a ring of vascular tissue one representing the main axis while the which constitutes the vascular supply of two lateral ones supplying the two axillary of the axillary branch (Fig. 15). The branches of the two opposite leaves. In remaining vascular tissue in the node Clematis triloba the median trace, as soon reorganizes into a ring of bundles and as it leaves the central vascular cylinder, continues in the main axis. divides into three while each lateral divides In Ranunculus hirtellus four traces having into two (Fig. 7). forming in all seven independent gaps leave the vascular traces that enter each leaf base (Fig. 8). cylinder for the leaf (Fig. 16) and all of In one of the nodes of Clematis pani~ them enter the leaf base. The axillary culaia, the median bundle gave oif two branch is produced in the same manner short branches (Figs. 11-13) which did not as in other species of Ranunculus described reach the leaf base. The laterals of the for the trilacunar type. One of the laterals opposite leaves arose on one side con­ divides into two, as such there are five jointly leaving a single gap, but they bundles at the base of the leaf. The separated immediately outside the gap axillary branch appears bigger than the (Fig. 12). Laterals of the other side main axis (Fig. 17). . however, arose independently from (3) Bilacunar two-traced condition.— separate gaps. This type of nodal anatomy is exhibited Thallctrum saniculaeforme that has a by Ranunculus awicanus. In the intcr- sheathing leaf base and slipules, shows yet node there is a ring of many bundles. At another deviation in the trilacunar condi­ the nodal level a prominent median and tion. The median trace divides into three a lateral trace pass out of the ring of (Tig. 9). The laterals divide and one of vascular bundles and each trace leaves a the two branches supplies the stipule on gap behind (Figs. 18, 19). Although the its side (Fig. 10). node is bilacunar and only two traces are (2) Multilacunar multi-traced condi­ given out the median branches immediately tion.—Tina condillon exists in Aquilegia and hence the leaf base shows three vulgaris and Ranunculus hirtellus. In the bundles. All these three bundles branch internodc Aquilegia there is a ring of profusely in the leaf base. The production conjoint, collateral, endarch bundles of and supply of the axillary branch is as in different sizes. At the base of the node other species of Ranunculus. the vascular bundles show some reorgani­ One of the nodes of Clematis paniculata zation. Seven large bundles and one or differed from other nodes which are two very small bundles diverge from the trilacunar and three traced. This node central vascular tissue at the nodal level belongs to the bilacunar type. The leaves (Fig. 14). These bundles enter the leaf being opposite, the median traces of the base as such and do not show any bran­ two opposite leaves arise on two opposite ching (Fig. 15). The smaller bundles sides of the nq|le. The median, as soon coatinue only for a short distance during as, it differentiates, branches into three their upward course. The leaves being (Fig. 20). The laterals for both the leaves alternate, only one leaf and one axillary do not arise at all on one side while on branch are produced at a node. After the other side they appear very incons­ Flos. 1-3. Serial Transvwse lections of nodes of Ranunculus schratus (FJg. 1-5) DelpMnum n/acls (Fig. 6) Clemath triloba (Figs. 7 & 8) Thallctrum seniculaeformae (Fig*. 9 & 10) and Clemath paniculata 11-13). picuous consisting of a few tracheids (Fig. groups even before the leaf base is demar­ 19). These reduced laterals do not even cated. The leaf base, axillary branch and enter the leaf base and pass for some the main axis separate from one another distance across the cortex of the axis. The almost at the same level (Fig. 24). three branches of the median enter die leaf base. The formation of the axillary D iscussion branches is similar to the othar species of Clematis described under tritacunar type. The family Ranunculaceae, though (4) Unilacunar one-traced condition.— accepted to be one of the primitive families, Helleboms foetidus shows this type of has developed certain characters which nodal anatomy. A transection of intemode are considered to be advanced. As Carl- shows a ring of vascular bundles. One quist (1969) has expressed it should not bundle diverges out causing a gap in the bo believed that if five characters in a vascular cylinder and divides immediately particular group are primitive or less into three constituting ^ leaf supply specialized the sixth one also has to be (Figs. 21-23). The remaining vascular primitive. Every group shows a combin­ bundles organize into two almost equal ation of some primitive and some advanced FniS. 14-24. T.». of nodes of Aquilegia vulgaris (Figs. 14 & 15), Ranunculia hirttUta (Figs. 16 & 17). R. atiricanus (Figs. 18 & 19), Clematis paniculata (Fig. 20) and HeUfborus fotlldia (Figs. 21-24). charactcrs. Of course a primitive family simple types in Helleabreae, which in will have a large number of primitive itself is thought to be the least specialized characters (Sec also Stebbins, 1974). amongst the tribes of the family Ranun- The reccnt concept of unilacunar two culaceae. C/pmfl/ji presents a reduction traced condition (Marsden and Bailey, scries. Ranunculus also shows multilacunar 1955) being primitive cannot be discusscd trilacunar and bilacunar conditions. With as It ii not observed in the present study. such varied observations it is difficult to Helleborus presents a unilacunar condition arrive at any conclusion as to the position and it is generally believed that HcHeborus of the genera in this family. Amplific­ bearing follicles represents one of the ation and reduction both seem to be present and it is not possible to designate and branches of median traces are any one condition as primitive or advanced observed which do not enter the leaf base for we do not know where evolution a.<« in Clematis paniculata. Further the actually began and in which direction or bilacunar condition in Ranunculus auri- directions it progressed. In the author’s conus where only one lateral trace is found opinion therefore, it is futile to enter into may be consisdcred to have been derived the controversy of primitive and advanced as a result of similar reduction from a tri­ conditions. One of the possible suggest­ lacunar condition. The tetralacunar condi­ ions seems to support the views of Sinnott- tion found in R. hirtcllus may be considered that trilacunar condition is the basic type between tri - and multilacunar conditions. from which two trends of specializations As the materials examined in the present are obvious one reduction and the other study wa.s collected at random it is difficult amplification for the production of uni- to comment on the conclusions of Ezelerab lacunar and multilacunar conditions and Dormer (1963) But this much is respectively. This is thought to be so certain that the family shows good deal because the most common condition is of plasticity and that it has not reached found to be trilacunar and lateral traces as yet a static stage in evalution.

R eferences

Carlouist, s. 1969. Towards acceptable SiNNOTT, E.W. 1914. lnvcstigation.s on the evolutionary interpretations of floral anatomy. phylogeny of the Angiospem.?. 1. The anatomy Phytomorphology. 19: 332-362. of the node as an aid in the clussificalion of angiosperms. Am.J. Boi. 1: 303-322. E zeler ab, G .E . a n d K . J . CK)rmer 1963. The organisation of the primary vascular system SinrrH. G .H . 1928. Vascular anatomy of in Ranunculaccac. Ann. Hot. 21: 23-38. Ranalian flowers. II. Ranunculaccac Marsden, M.P.F. and I.W., Bauey. 1955. (C.'onlinued), Menispcrmaceae, Calycan- A further type of nodal anatomy in thaceae, Annonaceae. Bot. Gaz. 85: 152-177. Dicotyledons, illustJated by Clerodendron S tebbins, G . L . 1974. Flowerlnfi I'lants: tricholamurn Thumb. J. Arnold. Arbor Harv. Evolution above the species level. Edward Univ. 36; 1-51. Arnold, London.

J. Indian bot. Soc. 58: 133-162, 1979.

MINERAL NUTRIENT ELEMENT COMPOSITION OF THREE VARIETIES OF CHICK PEA GROWN AT NORMAL AND DEFICIENT LEVELS OF IRON SUPPLY*

By S .C . A g a r w a l a , S .C . M ehrotka, S .S . Bisht and C.P. Sharma Botany Department, Lucknow University, Lucknow—226007

A bstract

Iron deficiency caused a decrease in the concentration of iron and molybdeoum and a mariced increase io the concentration of MxBani, calcium, magnesium.

1. Acwpted for publication on October 13, 1968.