Differences in anatomical and morphological structure of plants from the genus Neoregelia L.B. Sm. (Bromeliaceae) as a result of adaptation to arid environmental conditions

Abstract

Comparative analysis of the anatomical leaf structure of 13 species of the genus Neoregelia has done. Species differ mostly by morphometric and quantitative parameters of their leaves. Also trichomes of N. lilliputiana and N. pendula can be considered as markers of a species. Two possible ways of leaves adaptation to arid conditions on the anatomical level, and depending on the structure of rosettes were found. 1) Thickening of leaf lamina, increasing of percent of water storage parenchyma, increasing of epidermal area, covered by water-absorbing trichomes – in species with small narrow rosettes. 2) Decreasing of percent of water storage parenchyma and decreasing of epidermal area, covered by water-absorbing trichomes, compensated by the ability to accumulate large amounts of water after the rainfalls – in species with large rosettes.