The perennial selenium (Se) hyperaccumulator Cardamine hupingshanensis (Brassicaceae) thrives in aquatic and subaquatic Se-rich environments along the Wuling Mountains, China. Using bright-field and epifluorescence microscopy, the present study determined the anatomical structures and histochemical features that allow this species to survive in Se-rich aquatic environments. The roots of C. hupingshanensis have an endodermis with Casparian walls, suberin lamellae, and lignified secondary cell walls; the cortex and hypodermal walls have phi (Φ) thickenings; and the mature taproots have a secondary structure with a periderm. The stems possess a lignified sclerenchymal ring and an endodermis, and the pith and cortex walls have polysaccharide-rich collenchyma. Air spaces are present in the intercellular spaces and aerenchyma in the cortex and pith of the roots and shoots. The dense fine roots with lignified Φ thickenings and polysaccharide-rich collenchyma in the shoots may allow C. hupingshanensis to hyperaccumulate Se. Overall, our study elucidated the anatomical features that permit C. hupingshanensis to thrive in Se-rich aquatic environments.

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The aim of this experiment was to explore the effects of a new selenium (Se) source from Se-enriched Cardamine enshiensis (SeCe) on body weight loss, anti-oxidative capacity and meat quality of broilers under transport stress. A total of 240 one-day-old ROSS 308 broilers were allotted into four treatments with six replicate cages and 10 birds per cage using a 2 × 2 factorial design. The four groups were as follows: (1) Na2SeO3-NTS group, dietary 0.3 mg/kg Se from Na2SeO3 without transport stress, (2) SeCe-NTS group, dietary 0.3 mg/kg Se from SeCe without transport stress, (3) Na2SeO3-TS group, dietary 0.3 mg/kg Se from Na2SeO3 with transport stress, and (4) SeCe-TS group, dietary 0.3 mg/kg Se from SeCe with transport stress. After a 42 d feeding period, the broilers were transported by a lorry or kept in the original cages for 3 h, respectively. The results showed that dietary SeCe supplementation alleviated transport-stress-induced body weight loss and hepatomegaly of the broilers compared with the broilers fed Na2SeO3 diets (p < 0.05). Furthermore, dietary SeCe supplementation increased the concentrations of plasma total protein and glucose, and decreased the activities of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase of the broilers under transport stress (p < 0.05). Dietary SeCe supplementation also enhanced the anti-oxidative capacity and meat quality in the breast and thigh muscles of the broilers under transport stress (p < 0.05). In summary, compared with Na2SeO3, dietary SeCe supplementation alleviates transport-stress-induced body weight loss, anti-oxidative capacity and meat quality impairments of broilers.