Anatomy of the vegetative organs and secretory structures of Rhaponticum carthamoides (Asteraceae) |
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Authors: | BARBARA OTOCKA ANNA GESZPRYCH |
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Institution: | Department of Botany, Faculty of Agriculture, Warsaw Agricultural University, Nowoursynowska 159, 02–776 Warsaw, Poland; Department of Vegetable and Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Warsaw Agricultural University, Nowoursynowska 166, 02–787 Warsaw, Poland |
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Abstract: | Roots, stems, rhizomes and leaves of Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd.) Iljin (a Siberian adaptogenic plant, originating from the Altai and Saian Mountains) of different ages were investigated by means of light and electron microscopy. Schizogenous secretory reservoirs occurred in every organ, and were located within the secondary xylem (adventitious roots and rhizome of young plants), at the interface of endodermis/cortical parenchyma (roots and hypocotyl), along phloem and primary xylem (older rhizome), around the vascular bundles (inflorescence stem, petiole and leaf midrib veins) and along phloem (cotyledonary and leaf veins). At the interface of endodermis/inner parenchyma, secretion accumulated in the intercellular spaces prior to the formation of proper epithelial cells. The secretion as observed by transmission electron microscopy comprised three components: soluble (i.e. absent from sections; probably phenolic), insoluble and strongly osmiophilic (probably phenolic) and insoluble, moderately osmiophilic (probably lipidic). Numerous osmiophilic oil droplets, similar to the lipidic secretion inside the reservoirs, local proliferation of rough endoplasmic reticulum and numerous multivesicular bodies characterized epithelial cells in all organs. Leucoplasts (in subterranean organs) with osmiophilic inclusions and peroxisomes with crystalloid inclusions were specific for parenchyma cells. Peltate glandular hairs were formed on leaf blades. © 2004 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2004, 144 , 207–233. |
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Keywords: | adaptogenic plants Leuzea carthamoides DC medicinal plants rhizome anatomy root anatomy secretory reservoirs secretory trichomes |
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