| Abstract: | The structure of the secondary phloem and the development of the crystaleiferous phloem fibers in the stem of Torrey grandis were observed under the ligth microscope and SEM. The secondary phloem is composed of sieve cells, phloem parenchyma cells, crystalliferous phloem fibers and stone cells in the longitudinal system, and the uniserite homogeneous phloem rays consisting of parenchyma cells only in the radial system. In the cross section, there are 3–9 sieve cells in radial rows forming discontinuous tangential layers, the crystalliferous phloem fibers often in a single discontinuous tangential layer and the stone cells dispersed in rangential layer of phloem parenchyma. The developmental process of crystalliferous phloem fibers is as follows: initial cells appeared in the end of April and were well differentiated in the first week of May. Some crystals were deposited in the primary wall, while others were free in the cell. At the end of May, the secondary wall of most crysalliferous phloem fibers started to be thickened. With the thickening of the secondary wall, all the crystals were embedded in the wall from June to August From the end of September to the early days of October, the crystalliferous phloem fibers reached their full maturation. It is shown by microchemical identification and EDAX analysis that the crystals embedded in the wail of crystalliferous phloem fibers are calcium oxalate crystals. |
