| Abstract: | The structure and ontogeny of stomata on cotyledons and hypocotyls and the trichomes on hypocotyl are accounted for in eighteen species of Caesalpiniaceae. Trichomes are eglandular, bi- rarely tri-celled, smooth walled or walls wavy with cuticular striations or tubercles. Anomocytic, haplocytic, paracytic, diacytic, transitional, tetracytic, tricytic and cyclocytic stomata occur in different combinations even on the same surface of the cotyledon. In all, there are fourteen combinations. Inspite of the diversity, the most frequent type is anomocytic in most of the species and paracytic in some species of Cassia and Delonix (abaxial) but rarely it is haplocytic or anisocytic. In hypocotyls it is anomocytic. Ontogenetically anomocytic, tetracytic and cyclocytic stomata are perigenous, whereas other types are mesogenous or mesoperigenous. There is an increase in the number of subsidiary cells by their division or the neighbouring perigenes assuming their shapes. About eight such types are described. A pair of stomata has a common subsidiary cell. Twelve types of guard cell and stomatal approximation abnormalities are described. A range in the number, size and shape of the nuclei in guard cell are recorded. Megastomata (giant stomata) are observed in Parkinsonia and Tamarindus. The taxonomic significance of the stomata is also discussed. |
