Petiole Shape Research Articles

STATISTICAL COMPARATIVE PETIOL ANATOMY OF Salvia SP.

ABSTRACT In this study, petiol anatomy of 17 Salvia sp. taxa were compared statistically. In all the studied taxa, some differences were found in the petiole shape, number of vascular bundles and the presence of chlorenchyma. Anatomical variations in 17 Salvia taxa have been investigated by means of numerical methods (Analysis of variance and Pearson correlation). By the analysis of the investigated taxa from 17 leaf anatomy related characters, it has been determined that epidermis width and trachea diameter are the best character pairs which represent the variations in them. It has been also found that the results from numerical analysis of the leaf anatomy characters can provide additional evidences that correspond to the anatomy for the recognition of the taxa.

Taxonomic Relationship on Some Chrysophyllum Species based on Anatomical Studies

Transverse sections of the leaf blade and petiole of three species of the genus Chrysophyllum namely C. albidum, C. subnudum and C. cainito were investigated to establish taxonomic relationship among them. The result obtained revealed that the shape of vascular bundle of the leaf in C. albidum and C. subnudum are semi-circular while in C. cainito, it is V-shaped. The vascular bundle is bicollateral in the three taxa investigated. The shape of petiole is semicircular in C. albidum and C. cainito but rounded in C. subundum. C. cainito and C. subundum have well developed Vascular bundle, about 6-7 arranged to form an arc with distinct xylem and phloem cells while in C. albidum, they are 3-7, arranged to form an arc with in the cortex. The result further strengthened the inter-specific relationship existing among them

Comparative study of Passiflora taxa leaves: I. A morpho-anatomic profile

Determining the authenticity and quality of plant raw materials used in the formulation of herbal medicines, teas and cosmetics is essential to ensure their safety and efficacy for clinical use. Some Passiflora species are officially recognized in the pharmaceutical compendia of various countries and have therapeutic uses, particularly as sedatives and anxiolytics. However, the large number of Passiflora species, coupled with the fact that most species are popularly known as passion fruit, increases the misidentification problem. The purpose of this study is to make a pharmacognostic comparison between various Passiflora species to establish a morpho-anatomical profile that could contribute to the quality control of herbal drug products that contain passion fruit. This was conducted by collecting samples of leaves from twelve Passiflora taxa (ten species and two forms of P. edulis): P. actinia, P. alata, P. amethystina, P. capsularis, P. cincinnata, P. edulis f. flavicarpa, P. edulis f. edulis, P. incarnata, P. morifolia, P. urnifolia, P. coccinea and P. setacea, from different locations and their morpho-anatomical features were analyzed using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Microscopic analysis allowed to indicate a set of characters that can help to differentiate species. These include midrib and petiole shape, midrib and petiole vascular pattern, medium vein shape, presence of trichomes, presence of blade epidermal papillae and sclerenchymatic cells adjoining the vascular bundles. These characters could be used to assist in the determination of herbal drug quality and authenticity derived from a species of Passiflora.

The Analysis of Petiole Histological Traits Through an Evaluation of Water Deficit Tolerance of Sugar Beet Genotypes

Water stress is considered as one of the most widespread limitations to sugar beet productivity and yield stability. Since leaf is the most significantly affected organ by drought, we focused on the petiole histological features of ten sugar beet genotypes that previously showed divergent responses to lack of water in the field. The aim was to calculate volume densities of petiole different tissues and determine the histological sources of the genotypic differences in the breeding material with respect to water use efficiency. Comparative histological analysis of the petiole was performed using classic anatomical (proximal and distal segments) and stereological methods. The plants were grown in semi-controlled glasshouse conditions. The general structure of the sample variability was established by Principal component analysis, based on the correlation matrix data. This study suggests that determination of the variation in the histological characteristics of the petioles can play an important role in water management in plants. The results reveal a higher level of variability in morphometric parameters due to the fact that petiole cross-section shapes change with its maturity. Characteristics, such as (i) petiole shape, (ii) arrangement and number of vascular bundles, (iii) number and size of vessels, (iv) volume density and distribution of collenchyma, and (v) volume density of parenchyma are promising criteria that can help in the selection of more drought tolerant genotypes.

Genetic and morphological variation in natural teak (Tectona grandis) populations of the Western Ghats in Southern India

Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) is a popular hardwood species native to South and South-East Asia. The possible association of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) marker with morphological variables of eleven important characters viz. girth at breast height (GBH), height of tree, bole height, branch knots, presence of fluting, spiral stem, leaf hair, leaf length/breadth ratio, branching pattern, bark colour and petiole shape for nine natural populations comprising 180 genotypes of teak (9 populations × 20 trees). The phenogram constructed using Euclidean distances for the eleven morphological characters showed that the populations were not grouped according to their geographical origin. The Mantel’s test for pairwise correlation between Euclidean distances of different morphological variables and genetic distances from AFLP data revealed that only petiole character (r =0.269; p =0.046) and height of tree (r =0.200; p =0.001) were significantly correlated with that of AFLP data matrix. The nine populations in this study covered a geographic area of about 1000 km stretch along the Western Ghat of South India. A test of correlation between genetic and geographic distance matrices revealed a significant positive correlation (r =0.475; p =0.009). The lack of perfect congruence between morphological and molecular data except for geographic distance, tree height and petiole character suggested that the morphological system might be useful for the morphotypes management but not appropriate to study the genetic structure of the teak populations.

Ecological interpretations of the leaf anatomy of amphibious species of Aeschynomene L. (Leguminosae - Papilionoideae).

We present the leaf anatomy of seven amphibious species of Aeschynomene L. (Papilionoideae, Leguminosae), interpreting their structures and ecological functions, and also, providing information on which their taxonomy can be based, especially of morphologically similar species. We evaluated Aeschynomene americana, A. ciliata, A. evenia, A. denticulata, A. fluminensis, A. rudis and A. sensitiva. The anatomy corroborates the separation of the series Americanae, Fluminenses, Indicae and Sensitivae, with the shape of the petiole, types of trichomes and quantity of vascular units in the petiole as main characteristics to delimit the species. The petiole shape varies from cylindric in A. americana, A. sensitiva and A. fluminensis, to triangular in A. evenia and quadrangular in A. rudis, A. denticulata and A. ciliata. We observed four types of trichomes: hydathode trichome, long conic trichome, short conic trichome and bulb-based trichome. The hydathode trichome was the most common, except for A. americana and A. fluminensis. Species with higher affinity with water share similar adaptive characteristics, including hydathode trichomes described for the first time for the genus. This article adds unseen descriptions for the genus and on the adaptation factors of the amphibious species.

Production of intergeneric allotetraploid between autotetraploid non-heading Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris ssp. chinensis Makino) and autotetraploid radish (Raphanus sativus L.)

Intergeneric hybrids between non-heading Chinese cabbage (<em>Brassica campestris</em> ssp. <em>chinensis</em> Makino; 2n = 4x = 40) and radish (<em>Raphanus sativus</em> L.; 2n = 4x = 36) were obtained through ovary culture and embryo rescue. Some hybrid embryos (0.11 per ovary) were produced, but only 4 of them germinated. As most hybrid embryos failed to develop into plantlets directly, plants were regenerated by inducing shoots on the cultured cotyledon and inducing roots on the root induction medium. All hybrid plants were morphologically uniform. They resembled the non-heading Chinese cabbage in the long-lived habit, the plant status, the vernalization requirement and the petiole color, while the petiole shape, leaf venation pattern and flowers were more similar to those of radish. Upon examination of the flowers, these were found to have normal pistil, but rudimentary anthers with non-functional pollen grains. The somatic chromosome number of F1 plants was 38. Analysis of SSR banding patterns provided additional confirmation of hybridity.

Lecythidaceae Poit. in the Tupé Sustainable Development Reserve, Manaus, Brazil

Lecythidaceae is the family of the Brazil nut, and comprises about 300 species belonging to 17 genera with pantropical distributions. One hundred and twenty-two species belonging to nine genera are distributed throughout Brazil, demonstrating its greatest diversity in the Amazon rainforest where Lecythidaceae is also one of the most abundant families. It is usually difficult to collect fertile material from these trees because of their canopy heights, and species determinations using sterile material can be complex because of their morphological similarities. There have been relatively few studies of this family even though it is one of the most important groups in the Amazon region, and a detailed taxonomic treatment of the species of Lecythidaceae in the Tupe Sustainable Development Reserve was therefore the goal of the present work. Ten species were found, Allantoma lineata (Mart. ex O.Berg) Miers, Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl., Couratari tenuicarpa A.C.Sm., Lecythis poiteaui O. Berg; and six species of Eschweilera, the richest genus. The descriptions and identification keys of the species used 56 characters. The main reproductive characters useful for distinguishing the species were the pubescence of the inflorescence rachis, pedicel length and trichomes presence, floral symmetry, hood type, filament shape, stigma shape, fruit shape and size, and aril type. The most diagnostic vegetative characters were the type and color of the outer bark, inner bark color, midrib prominence, and petiole shape and pubescence.

Morphometric characteristics of Formica aquilonia ants in monitoring of their settlements

The variability of size, chaetotaxy, the petiole shape, and mandible dentition in workers of F. aquilonia was studied in the Verkhnyaya Klyazma Myrmecological Preserve (Moscow Province, Russia), where populations of red wood ants (F. aquilonia, F. polyctena, and F. lugubris) have been monitored since 1966. Comparative analysis of samples from two different F. aquilonia settlements (A1 and A21S) showed that workers from A1 had a smaller size and more abundant pilosity. The variability of the molar margin of the mandibles was similar in the two settlements while the petiole shape differed. Comparison of three generations of workers from A1 (the seasons of 1969, 1986, and 1992) revealed significant changes in their phenotype (a decrease in size and an increase in pilosity and asymmetry) which coincided with the settlement degradation after mass destruction of ant nests by poachers, wild boars, and woodpeckers in 1977–1985.

Leaf anatomy and histochemistry of Macropeplus dentatus (Perkins) I. Santos & Peixoto and Macropeplus ligustrinus (Tul.) Perkins (Monimiaceae)

The Monimiaceae is represented in the Neotropical region by six genera. Macropeplus Perkins is a Brazilian genus comprising four species restricted to high-montane Atlantic Forest areas, which have not been properly examined from the anatomical point of view. This study characterizes the anatomical structure and histochemical aspects of the leaves of Macropeplus dentatus and M. ligustrinus, and adds to our taxonomic knowledge ofthe genus. The individuals studied were collected in the Serra dos Órgãos National Park and in the Caraça Natural Park in southeastern Brazil. Among the characteristics common to the two species, hypostomatic leaves, dorsiventral structure, paracytic stomata, a subepidermal layer, collateral vascular system in the form of an arc in the petiole, semicraspedobrochidodromous venation, and the presence of prismatic crystals were registered. Intracellular metabolites, such as phenolic compounds, lipids and mucilage, were identified. The petiole shape, occurrence and distribution of secretory cells and brachysclereids, in association with other morphological features, were relevant to species identification.

The petiole anatomy of the genus Spiraea L.( Rosaceae) In Korea

The petiole anatomy of three sections (sects. Calospira, Chamaedryon, and Spiraria) in the genus Spiraea (Rosaceae), which are distributed/cultivated in Korea, was studied and described in details. The vascular bundle system of the distal, medial, and proximal parts of the petiole were studied using LM with the aim of documenting any differences in vascular anatomy. Significant variation of anatomical characters was found in petiole shape (dichotomy, lens or subcircular in outline), presence of two distinct lateral wings, the thickness of epidermis, number of vascular bundles, length of ventral axis, length of dorsiventral axis, width of median vascular bundle, and length of median vascular bundle. All features were compared and we concluded that petiole anatomical characters can be useful for providing diagnostic features to distinguish the studied taxa. A key for identifying the Spiraea taxa in Korea based on their petiole anatomical characters is also provided.

Anatomia foliar com implicações taxonômicas em espécies de ipês

Tendo em vista a dificuldade de identificação dos ipês brasileiros em estado vegetativo, este trabalho objetivou levantar caracteres que possibilitassem reconhecê-los pela anatomia foliar (lâmina foliar e pecíolo). Folhas de seis espécies de Handroanthus (ipês amarelos: H. chrysotrichus, H. ochraceus e H. serratifolius; ipê branco: H. roseo-albus; ipês roxos: H. heptaphyllus e H. impetiginosus) e de uma espécie de Tabebuia (ipês amarelo: T. aurea) foram preparadas para observação em microscopias de luz (exame histológico) e eletrônica de varredura (exame de superfície). Caracteres provenientes da anatomia foliar possibilitaram a diagnose dos ipês, sendo mais relevantes na lâmina foliar, o número de camadas da epiderme, a posição dos estômatos em relação às demais células epidérmicas, a presença de domácias, a presença de espessamento de parede das células parenquimáticas na margem, o tipo de mesofilo e a presença de parênquima paravenal; no pecíolo, destacaram-se seu formato, a forma das células epidérmicas e a presença de fibras na região interna do floema.

Morphological evolution in a hyperdiverse clade: the ant genus Pheidole

AbstractUnderstanding patterns of morphological variation and their evolutionary causes is among the main goals of evolutionary biology. In this paper we analyse the pattern of morphological variation in the hyperdiverse ant genus Pheidole (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). We describe the morphospace defined by 231 Pheidole species in the New World using 18 linear quantitative characters. The first ordination axis of the morphospace was found to mainly reflect differences in body size, which explained 83.2 and 78.6% of all morphological variation in minor and major worker subcastes, respectively. Therefore, despite considerable morphological divergence among Pheidole species, most of this variation can be attributed to allometric changes along a size axis, leaving little opportunity for ecological specialization that might be reflected in the studied morphological traits. Simulations suggest that this degree of concentration of variance on the first principal component is unlikely to be due solely to shared phylogenetic history. The second ordination axis reflected mostly variation in head characters, most notably antennal scape length. The third ordination axis described aspects of alitrunk and petiole shape. Although generally concordant, the loading patterns in the second and third axes differed between minors and majors, suggesting different selective pressures affecting the evolution of each subcaste. These general trends in shape were confirmed by additional analyses that corrected for body size. Ordination analyses were complemented by comparing patterns of interspecific morphological covariation in minors and majors of Pheidole using newly developed analyses based on the statistical concept of conditional independence of Magwene. A comparison between worker subcastes indicated substantial reorganization in the pattern of character covariation, particularly through a decrease in character‐correlation levels (dissociation). Moreover, graphical modelling indicated correlations between characters in widely different parts of the body, suggesting that the opportunity for morphological evolution in Pheidole appears to be surprisingly limited. This result might explain why morphological evolution in Pheidole has been highly conservative in spite of substantial ecological diversification.

Sociobiology of hypogaeic army ants: characterization of two sympatric Dorylus species on Borneo and their colony conflicts

Army ants, although known as fierce predators, are rarely reported to prey on other army ants and most observed interspecific contacts were resolved comparatively peacefully. Of the four Asian Dorylinae, Dorylus (Dichthadia) laevigatus was believed to be the only species occurring on Borneo, sharing its habitat only with Aenictus and Leptogenys army ants and mass raiding Pheidologeton species. Using palm oil baits, we monitored the hypogaeic movements of D. laevigatus in Sabah (Malaysia, Borneo) and found a second species, i.e. D. cf. vishnui, also recruiting to the baits.¶To characterize the new species and differentiate it from D. laevigatus, we compared nine morphological traits. Hind tibia length, petiole shape, and number of antennal segments showed to differ significantly. Both species foraged predominately hypogaeicly and were found in similar habitats and altitudes. However, differences were found in bait utilization and foraging strategy. Furthermore, D. cf. vishnui seemed more likely to come to the soil surface than D. laevigatus. A phylogenetic analysis based on 385 basepairs of mtDNA confirmed the distinctiveness of both species. Interestingly, D. laevigatus showed considerable intraspecific differences between subpopulations from Java, West Malaysia, and even within Borneo, which might indicate that D. laevigatus is a species complex containing multiple cryptic species. A single male, collected from a light trap in Sabah, could be assigned to D. laevigatus using the same phylogeny, confirming this previously only assumed association.¶Encounters between the two species were observed at 11 baits, leading in ten cases to fierce fights. We provide the first detailed description of such interspecific fights, in which major workers were the fighters in both species. Experiments with intra- and interspecific mixing of workers in the laboratory showed D. laevigatus to have a higher aggressive level towards D. cf. vishnui than towards foreign conspecific colonies. No intraspecific fights between neighboring D. laevigatus colonies were observed in the field.

Variation in petiole anatomy of the European spiny species of Astragalus L. (Leguminosae-Papilionoideae-Galegeae)

Transverse sections of petioles from the fourteen species of European spiny Astragalus have been examined. Variation between species was found in several anatomical characters including shape of petiole in transverse section; number of cortical layers; number of vascular bundles; amount of collenchyma tissue and shape and abundance of pith cells. Two major groups of species may be recognized on the basis of anatomical features.