A histological and histochemical comparison of the mucilages on the root tips of several grasses

Abstract

Young, axenically grown roots of grasses are covered by two types of mucilage. Gelatinous material originates from the root cap, and a firm, uniformly thick mucilage overlies the columnar epidermal cells. Histochemical properties of these mucilages are similar in corn, wheat, barley, oats, sorghum, and a Sudan grass – sorghum hybrid.The epidermal mucilage has a thin outer and a thicker inner layer distinct from the epidermal cell wall. Both mucilage layers are strongly autofluorescent, birefringent, and PAS positive. Reactions of the outer layer and cell wall indicate carboxyl groups. These are absent from the inner mucilage. Root cap mucilage has a inner region with histochemical properties resembling those of the inner epidermal mucilage. The outer portion of the root cap mucilage is not fluorescent, not birefringent, weakly PAS positive, and carboxylated.