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Laticifers in Camptotheca acuminata Decne: distribution and structure
Barbara Monacelli1, Alessio Valletta, Nicoletta Rascio
1Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Università degli Studi La Sapienza di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Protoplasma
|December 8, 2005
Summary
A laticifer system, identified in Camptotheca acuminata, is described for the first time in the Cornales order. This discovery, detailing laticifer presence in leaves and stems, may offer significant taxonomic insights.
Area of Science:
- Botany
- Plant Anatomy
- Taxonomy
Background:
- Camptotheca acuminata (Nyssaceae) is a plant species with potential taxonomic significance.
- The presence and distribution of laticifer systems are important anatomical features in plants.
- The order Cornales is known for its taxonomic complexity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the laticifer system in Camptotheca acuminata.
- To investigate the distribution of laticifers in different plant organs (leaves, stems).
- To determine the taxonomic implications of laticifer presence in C. acuminata within the Cornales order.
Main Methods:
- Anatomical observation of laticifers in leaf primordia, mature leaves, and stems.
- Histochemical analysis to identify accumulated compounds within laticifers.
- Ultrastructural examination of laticifer cells and their contents.
Main Results:
- Laticifers were found in leaf primordia, mature leaves (midrib, veins), and both primary and secondary stems.
- No laticifers were detected in the roots.
- Histochemistry revealed phenols and lipids; ultrastructure showed osmiophilic globules and altered plastids.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive laticifer system exists in Camptotheca acuminata, extending from early development through mature tissues.
- The absence of laticifers in roots contrasts with their presence in aerial parts.
- The identification of this laticifer system in C. acuminata, a species within the problematic Cornales order, offers potential new avenues for taxonomic classification.