The stomatal apparatus of Lycopodium japonicum and its bearing on the stomata of the Devonian lycophyte Drepanophycus spinaeformis |
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| Authors: | TONG-XING SUN DIANNE EDWARDS CHENG-SEN LI fls |
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| Affiliation: | Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiangshan, Beijing 100093, China; School of Earth, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Cardiff University, Main Building, Cardiff CF10 3YE, UK; School of Life Science, Laiyang Agricultural College, Laiyang 265200, China; Beijing Museum of Natural History, Beijing 100026, China |
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| Abstract: | The structure of the stomatal apparatus of the leaf of Lycopodium japonicum Thumb was studied using epidermal macerations, sections and scanning electron microscopy. The stomatal apparatus of L. japonicum consists of two large guard cells and pore, and is anomocytic. Based on light microscopy, the impression from epidermal macerations that there were two small guard cells surrounded by two, large, similarly shaped, subsidiary cells (paracytic) derives from a pronounced elliptical cuticular ledge on the surface of the guard cells surrounding a thickened circumporal area. A similar appearance is characteristic of cuticle preparations of the Devonian lycophyte Drepanophycus spinaeformis Göppert. We therefore conclude, as did W.H. Lang over 70 years ago, that the stomata of the early lycophyte were also anomocytic, as were those of a second species of Drepanophycus , D. qujingensis Li & Edwards. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 149 , 209–216. |
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| Keywords: | anomocytic type cuticle paracytic type |
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