Science Research Reporter 2(1):59-65, March 2012 ISSN: 2249-2321 (Print) Study of Vessel elements in the stem of Genus Ammannia and Rotala (Lytharaceae) Anil A Kshirsagar and N P Vaikos Department of Botany, Shivaji Arts, Commerce and Science College Kannad Dist- Aurangabad. (M.S.) 431103 Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University Aurangabad [email protected] ABSTRACT The vessel elements in the stem of Genus Ammannia with four species and the Genus Rotala with nine species have been investigated. The vessel elements in the stem of Ammannia and Rotala exhibit the variation in their length and diameter. The minimum length of vessel element was reported in species of Rotala indica and Rotala rosea 142.8µm, while the maximum length of vessel element was reported in Ammannia baccifera sub spp.aegyptiaca (571.2 µm). The minimum diameter of vessel element was recorded in Rotala floribunda, R.occultiflora, R. rotundifolia, R.malmpuzhensis (21.4 µm) while maximum diameter of vessel element was recorded in Ammannia baccifera sub spp.baccifera (49.98 µm). The perforation plates were mostly simple. The positions of perforation plate were terminal and sub-terminal, the tails were recorded in many investigated taxa and the lateral walls of vessels were pitted. The vestured pits were the characteristics of family-Lytheraceae. Keywords: Vessel elements, perforation plates, Stem of Genus Ammannia and Rotala (Lythraceae) INTRODUCTION The family Lythraceae consists of about 24 genera kinwat and fixed in FAA.They were preserved in 70% and nearly 500 species widespread in the tropical alcohol. The stem macerated in 1:1 proportion of countries with relatively few species in the 10% Nitric acid and 10% Chromic acid solution and temperate regions (Cronquist,1981) In India it is then the materials were washed thoroughly in represented by 11 genera and about 45 species water, stained in 1% safranin and mounts in glycerin. (Hooker,1879). The species of Ammania and Rotala The illustration and camera Lucida drawings were are perennials, tree native to the tropical and made at the same magnification. subtropical America and Hawaian islands, According to Solereder (1908) Metcalfe and chalk (1950) simple RESULTS AND DISCUSSION perforation are common in this family Baas and The vessel elements in the stem of Genus Ammannia Zweypfenning (1979) Cronquist (1980) also mention and Genus Rotala of thirteen different species of such elements with simple perforation.Therefore,the family Lythraceae were observed. present work gives a comprehensive account on the Size: The vessel elements are categorized on their stem of thirteen species of family Lythraceae. length for the sake of convenience. Short: The average length of short elements of the MATERIALS AND METHODS stem vessel ranges from 192.5µm (Rotala rosea) The plant materials of thirteen species spread in to221.3 µm (Rotala indica) and diameter from 28.5 two genera of the family Lythraceae, namely µm (Rotala floribunda) to33.5 µm (Rotala densiflora) Ammania and Rotala. The species are Ammannia and (Rotala indica) Table 1. baccifera sub spp.aegyptiaca, Ammannia baccifera Medium:The average length of medium sized vessel sub spp. baccifera L. clarke in Hook., Ammannia elements of stem ranges from 192.5 µm (Rotala desertora L. Blatter et. Hallberg, Ammannia rosea) to 264.1 µm (Rotala occultflora ) and multiflora Roxb. cl. in Hook; Rotala densiflora (Roth diameter from 29.2 µm (Rotala occultiflora ) to 49.9 ex R&S), Rotala fimbriata (Wight), Rotala floribunda µm(Ammannia baccifera sub spp baccifera )Table 1. (Wight) Kohene, Rotala indica (willd), Kohene, Rotala Long: The average length of long vessel elements in malmpuzhensis R. vasudevan Nair, Rotalaocculti the stem ranges from 315.5 µm (Ammannia flora Kohene, Rotala rotundifolia (Buch-Ham ex.) baccifera sub spp baccifera) to 349.8µm (Rotala Rotala rosea (poir) Cook, Rotala serpyllifolia (Roth) serpyllifolia) Bremek. were collected from Kannad, Kolhapur, http://www.jsrr.in 59 ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online) Kshirsagar and Vaikos Shape: Generally the vessel elements in the stem The shape of the perforation plate is usually circular were cylindrical, tubular shapes observed in many sometimes oval or elongated. In all species simple species. perforation plate is common the end wall of the Perforation Plate: Perforation plates occur at the vessel elements was either oblique or transverse. terminal or sub terminal end of the vessel elements. Table showing vessel elements in stem of Ammannia and Rotala Sr.N Name of Plant Length of vessel elements µm Diameter of vessel elements o. µm Min. Max. Aveg. Min. Max. Aveg. 1 Ammannia baccifera sub. 214.2 571.2 342.7 35.7 57.1 47.8 spp.aegyptiaca 2 Ammannia baccifera sub. 214.2 499.8 315.5 35.7 57.12 49.98 spp.baccifera 3 Ammannia dsertora 285.64 428.4 342.7 28.5 57.1 44.2 4 Ammannia multiflora 214.2 499.8 346.2 35.7 57.12 42.84 5 Rotala densiflora 249.9 392.7 328.4 28.5 42.8 33.5 6 Rotala fimbriata 214.2 499.8 339.1 28.5 42.8 34.2 7 Rotala floribunda 285.6 321.3 317.7 21.4 35.7 28.5 8 Rotala indica 142.8 357 221.3 28.5 42.8 33.5 9 Rotala malmpuzhensis 214.2 285.6 257.0 21.4 35.7 30.7 10 Rotala occultiflora 214.2 357 264.1 21.4 42.8 29.2 11 Rotala rotundifolia 285.5 392.7 332 21.4 49.9 34.9 12 Rotala rosea 142.8 285.6 192.5 21.4 35.7 29.9 13 Rotala serpyllifolia 285.6 428.4 349.8 35.7 49.9 39.9 Table showing vessel elements in stem of Ammannia and Rotala Sr.No. Name of Plant Perforation Position of Lateral wall Nature of End plate perforation thickening wall plate 1 Ammannia baccifera sub. Simple Terminal Pitted Oblique spp.aegyptiaca. &Transverse 2 Ammannia baccifera sub. Simple Terminal Pitted Transverse& spp.baccifera Oblique 3 Ammannia dsertora Simple Sub-Terminal Pitted Oblique 4 Ammannia multiflora Simple Terminal Pitted Transverse 5 Rotala densiflora Simple Terminal Pitted Transverse 6 Rotala fimbriata Simple Terminal Pitted Transverse &Oblique 7 Rotala floribunda Simple Terminal Pitted Transverse 8 Rotala indica Simple Terminal Pitted Oblique 9 Rotala malmpuzhensis Simple Sub-Terminal Pitted Oblique 10 Rotala occultiflora Simple Sub-Terminal Pitted Oblique 11 Rotala rotundifolia Simple Terminal Pitted Oblique &Transverse 12 Rotala rosea Simple Terminal Pitted Oblique 13 Rotala serpyllifolia Simple Terminal Pitted Transervse http://www.jsrr.in 60 ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online) Science Research Reporter 2(1):59-65, March 2012 ISSN: 2249-2321 (Print) Tail: A vessel elements may end with a spur like indica (142.8µm and longest is 571.2µm projection called as tail. In presently examined in(Ammannia baccifera) sub. spp. aegyptiaca(Table) species some of the vessel elements have tails (fig.1 The tails is either long or short with blunt or pointed b,d, e, g, h, I, k; 2g, I, j, k; 3a,c,e,g,h;4a etc.) The tail is ends.(Chalk and Chattawy, 1934,1935) According to long or short. (fig.4a) Solereder (1908) Metcalfe and Chalk (1950) simple Lateral wall thickenings: The lateral wall thickening perforation plate are common in this family. is of only one type in all the investigated taxa that is Cronquist (1980) also mention such elements with simple pitted. The vessel elements show variation in simple perforations the vessel elements in stem are the length and breadth in different species. The simple pitted with simple perforation plate. shortest vessel element in Rotala rosea and Rotala http://www.jsrr.in 61 ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online) Kshirsagar and Vaikos Such type of vessel elements are also recorded in Metcalfe and Chalk (1950) Baas and Zweypfenning scrophulariaceae (Sangeeta Sutar and Vaikos, 1998) (1979) describe the inter-vessel pits alternate, round the pits are mostly alternate Solereder (1908) to polygonal or elongated. The vessel elements are simple and pitted in woods Rabacy et al, 2008 the pits of vessels are the of angiosperms (Baas et al, 2000). Vessels of plasmodesmata like connection and thickening in presently examine taxa are perforation plate with angiosperm plants. In addition to taxonomic simple alternate and opposite pits. The changes in differences some authors noticed that the micro pit membrane porosity due to deflection and morphology of vestured vessel may be depend on stretching the vestured pits (Choat Jansen et al, the type of pitting and on pit characteristics (Meylan 2004). The order consist of vestured pitted vessels in and Butterfield, 1974 Ohtani and Ishida, 1976 Van secondary xylem (Jansen et al, 2008). According to vliet, 1978 Wu et al,1989). http://www.jsrr.in 62 ISSN: 2249-7846 (Online) Science Research Reporter 2(1):59-65, March 2012 ISSN: 2249-2321 (Print) The presence of vestured pits in vessels is observed (Lucas et al, 2007) Schmid and Baas ,1984 examined in all families of Myrtales including Lythraceae (Van in detail the distribution of scalariform plates within vliet and Baas et al, 2000, APG, 2003). Observation Myrtaceae. The members of Myrtales with vestured of small simple perforation plates with vestured pits scalariform perforation plates of vessels were found were reported by Baas (1977) in Leptospermum in Neomyrtus pedunculata (Butterfield and Meylan, crassipes (Myrtaceae) Kucera et al, (1977) concluded 1974). that the observation of vestures are deposited prior Vessel structure of the presently examined to the death of the protoplast.There is a strong taxa indicates that although the family Lythraceae correlation between vestured pits and the vessel shows advance features in many other respects still perforation type, since vestured pits of vessels are it remains primitive features as in their perforation nearly always associated with simple perforation plates.