Developmental Differences in the Location of Polyphenols and Condensed Tannins in Leaves and Stems of Sericea Lespedeza, Lespedeza cuneata

This histologkal study was performed to determine whether differencesin location and concentration of polyphenols and condensed tanninscould be observed in leaves and stems of sericea lespedeza genotypesof high (HP) or low (LP) phenolic content. Polyphenols and condensedtannins were especially evident in the vacuoles of paraveinalmesophyll cells from leaves of both genotypes. However, higherlevels of these substances were observed in paraveinal cellsof HP leaves. Cross-sections through young stem internodes revealedmany perivascular and vascular parenchyma cells staining prominentlyfor polyphenols in both genotypes. Their location in vacuolesof paraveinal mesophyll cells that function in photosynthatetransport within the leaf suggests that these substances playan active role in physiological processes of sericea lespedezaplants. Alternatively, they could represent a form in whichthese plants store excess photosynthates. Lespedeza cuneata (Dumont de Courset) G. Don, sericea lespedeza, polyphenols, condensed tannins, leaf anatomy, stem anatomy