Full Length Research Paper

Foliar epidermal anatomy and its systematic implication within the genus Sida L. (malvaceae)

Nighat Shaheen, Mir Ajab Khan, Ghazalah Yasmin, Mushtaq Ahmad, Tariq Mahmood, Muhammad Qasim Hayat, and Muhammad Zafar*

Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: catlacatla@hotmail.com.

Accepted 22 September, 2009

   Abstract

Micro morphological investigations of the foliar epidermal anatomy, particularly the diversity and distribution of glandular and eglandular trichomes on leaves of Sida alba L., S. alii S. Abedin var. alii, S. cordata (Burm. F.) Brss, S. mysorensis Wight and Arn, S. ovata Forssk. S. spinosa L and S. yunnanensis S.Y.Hu have been carried out to assess the systematic relevance of epidermal features and trichome diversity within the genus Sida L. Configuration of epidermal cells is polygonal to irregular with smooth or undulating outline. Leaves are amphistomatic and amphitrichomic. Six diverse morphological types of glandular and eglandular foliar trichomes are described. Stellate and peltate types of trichomes are characteristically found in all taxa studied. S. alii and S.spinosa are distinct in having long-stalked and short-stalked capitate trichomes. S. mysorensis is characterized by multicellular uniseriate trichomes, but these are not observed in other taxa of genus Sida. The results of foliar epidermal anatomy, especially type, distribution and structure of foliar trichomes are of high systematic value in this genus of family Malvaceae.

Key words: Foliar anatomy, trichomes, capitate glands, malvaceae.