The study of comparative anatomical features of populations of the plant Cichorium intybus L.

Abstract

The article presents a comparative analysis of the anatomical characteristics of the leaf, stem and root of Cichorium intybus L., found in the Aksai and Kaskelen gorges, as well as the Tausamaly rural district in the Trans-Ili Alatau region of Kazakhstan. From the examination of the anatomical features of the leaf, stem and root of Cichorium intybus L., which exhibits a broad distribution, ecotypic traits reflective of their respective growth environments have been identified. Notably, an increase in the number of anomocytic stomata was observed in the epidermis of plants from the first and second populations under study. Additionally, glandular trichomes, comprising a two-celled limb and a single-celled trichome with a head, were found in significantly higher quantities. Within the leaf mesophyll, clusters of milk-accumulating cells were noted. In the stem's primary bark of the first population, idioblast cells were detected, known for accumulating biologically active substances, and there was an observed increase in the level of inulin crystal formation within the vascular structure. However, in the rural district of Tausamaly, where the third population of Cichorium intybus L. was located, a decrease in stomata, trichomes, and milk-accumulating cells was observed due to man-made pollution and anthropogenic factors. Furthermore, a reduction in the diameter of the stem's central cylinder and a narrowing of the xylem and phloem tube diameters within the conductive bundle were determined. Additionally, a diminished formation of insulin crystals within the vein was noted.