Structural features of the cell walls in the leaves of Sagittaria sаgittifolia L. and Trapa natans L.

Abstract

The ultrastructure of the cell walls of Sagittaria sаgittifolia and Trapa natans leaf epidermis and mesophyll was studied under a transmission electron microscope. The structural features of epidermal cell walls of submerged leaves were observed in opposition to cell walls of air and floating leaves. There were observed the decreasing of the thickness of periclinal cell walls in epidermis and loosening inside cellulose microfibrils for submerged leaves. There were also obtained the increasing of hemicelluloses and lignin contents, as well as the decreasing of cellulose content in submerged leaves. These data are discussed in context of the apoplast transport in submerged leaves.