[Studies on ectodesmata : IV. Ectodesmata in leaves of Gramineae]

LAMBERTZ (1954) did not mention Gramineae as plants containing ectodesmata, although he stated that ectodesmata are not bound to special groups of angiosperms but should occur in all families of angiosperms. SCHNEPE (1959) expressly pointed out that he never succeeded in demonstrating such structures in leaves of Gramineae with his method. In our studies, however, ectodesmata could be shown in leaves of wheat and maize if the fixation mixture contained nitric acid. As in other objects, including species of gymnosperms and pteridophytes, the same distribution of ectodesmata could be observed which was characterized by the formation of rows along the anticlinal walls, crowding in guard-cells and seattering in periclincal walls.