MICROMORPHOLOGY OF LEAF EPIDERMIS OF ELEVEN SPECIES IN PIMPINELLA (APIACEAE) FROM CHINA

The present study is the first to investigate the micromorphology of leaf epidermis of 11 species of Pimpinella in China by SEM. Several species examined are covered with unbranched epidermal hairs on the adaxial epidermis. Adaxial leaf epidermal cells are usually polygonal or irregular. The patterns of anticlinal walls of the adaxial leaf epidermal cells are straight or arched mostly. Primary waxy ornamentations are mainly dense stripes. In addition, secondary ornamentations of most samples are single or double ridges. Stripe ornamentations are usually distributed on the abaxial epidermis uniformly. Stomatal shape is usually ellipse. Inner margin of smooth outer stomatal ledge is mainly sinuolate. In the face of such a complex group which is difficult to understand, comprehensive taxonomic and phylogenetic investigations of Pimpinella will undoubtedly benefit from these micromorphology data of leaf epidermis examined.

Automated summary

This study is the first to investigate the leaf epidermis micromorphology of Pimpinella species in China using SEM. The results show that the leaf epidermis is usually covered with hairs and has specific ornamentations and shapes. These findings are important for the classification and phylogenetic research of Pimpinella species.