Comparative petiole and stem anatomy of species of the genera Bryophyllum and Kalanchoe in South-western Nigeria

Abstract

The petiole and the stem anatomy of Kalanchoe and Bryophyllum species were studied to document characters that are of taxonomic importance among the species. The species are Kalanchoe crenata, Kalanchoe lanceolata, Bryophyllum pinnatum, Bryophyllum delagoense and Bryophyllum houghtonii. Transverse sections of the median region of the petioles and the stem of each of the species were made using a Reichert sliding microtome at 8-15μm thickness. Unifying and diagnostic features were also identified. Unifying features such as starch grains present on the petiole, parenchymatous pith in the stem were recorded. Diagnostic features such as biseriate to multi seriate epidermis in the stem of Bryophyllum pinnatum were also recorded. The unifying characters suggest that the species of the two genera should be combined into one genus Kalanchoe with sections under it.