Studies on some anatomical features of selected plant species grown in sand dune areas of North Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

The present investigation aims at studying some anatomical features of some selected native plant species in arid environments of sand dunes at North Sinai, Egypt. Plant samples were collected from three localities; Coastal sand dunes of Balouza (Zygophyllum album, Zygophyllaceae; root, stem and leaf); sand sheets of El-Arish city (stems of Anabasis articulata, Amaranthaceae and Salsola tetrandra, Chenopodiaceae) and El-Owga interdune areas (Fagonia indica, Zygophyllaceae; stem and root, Zygophyllum album, stem). Anatomical adaptations in leaves of Zygophyllum album include the presence of palisade layers on the adaxial and abaxial surfaces, thick cuticle layer cover the epidermis, spongy mesophyll and the presence of water storage cells. Stem anatomical adaptations in different plant species as general observations were the presence of thick cuticle, multiepidermal layers, palisade shape chlorenchyma, patches of sclerenchymatous fiber in the cortex and the precipitation of raphid and druse crystals of different sizes in plant tissues. Root adaptations in Zygophyllum album and Fagonia indica include the presence of periderm layers composed of compacted and elongated cells of different origins and increase the number of small xylem vessels which can guarantee the continuity of water uptake from soil in the case of xylem embolism.