Comparative leaf anatomy of Alpinia species (Zingiberaceae) in Malaysia |
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| Authors: | Noraini Talip Khatijah Haji Hussin Halijah Ibrahim |
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| Affiliation: | School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculry of Science and Technology National University of Malaysia, 43600 Bangi. Malaysia. E-mail:;Institute of Biological Science, Faculty of Science.50603 Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
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| Abstract: | The leaf anatomy of 22 Alpinia species from the Malay Peninsular was investigated. Results show that a combination of characters such as outlines of midribs, petioles, leaf margins and their relative sizes in transverse sections as well as the presence of hypodermal fibres in the lamina, midribs and petioles can be used in the identification of species. All four species of subsection Allughas possess similar characters such as the presence of abaxial and adaxial fibres in the midrib and petioles and the absence of hypodermis in the lamina while the reverse is true for all species of subsection Catimbium. Alpinia conchigera and A. galanga appear to be closely related while A. oxymitra is distinct from all the species studied. |
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