Foliar Nectaries in Mahogany (Swietenia Jacq.)

The pinnately compound leaves of Swietenia spp. have numeroussmall nectaries on petiole, rachis, petiolules, and both surfacesof all leaflets. Nectaries are circular to elongate, eitherlevel with the epidermis or slightly raised or depressed. Thesecretory surface is usually smooth even under high SEM magnification.Each nectary has an outer zone of three or four cell layersof slightly elongate and densely cytoplasmic cells subtendedby two layers of rounded cells with thickened walls and lightlystaining cytoplasm. Proximity of nectaries to vasculature isvariable and seems to be only fortuitous. Meliaceae, Swietenia, mahogany, nectary anatomy, extrafloral nectaries, foliar nectaries