Epidermal and Cytological Studies on Cultivars of Xanthosoma (L.) Schott. and Colocasia (L.) Schott. (Araceae)

Abstract

This work was carried out in collaboration between both authors. Author JOO designed the study, wrote the protocol, managed the experimental process and analyses of the study and identified the species and cultivars of plants. Author PCN wrote the first draft of the manuscript managed the literature searches and performed the laboratory analysis. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Comparative Foliar and Petiole Anatomy of Some Members of the Genus Dieffenbachia Schott in the Family Araceae

“…Brachyparacytic stomata complex type with elliptic shaped stomata is found on both the adaxial and the abaxial epidermal surfaces of all the studied taxa. The presence of brachyparacytic stomata is a characteristic of the family Araceae as reported by Osuji and Nwala (2015). Although, elliptic shaped stomata are common to all the taxa studied, some of the taxa have Vincent (1989) and Koneman et al (1997).…”

“…On the adaxial surface, it is wavy to undulating in all the taxa and straight to wavy on their abaxial surfaces, so the taxa in this study cannot be separated based on their anticlinal wall pattern. In some other studies, anticlinal wall pattern has been successfully employed in separating different plant species (Adedeji, 2004;Osuji and Nwala, 2015;Arogundade and Adedeji, 2016).…”

Anatomical characteristics of Nigerian variants of Caladium bicolor (Aiton) Vent. (Araceae)

“…The presence of isotricytic, anisocytic and contiguous stomata on variant D distinguishes it from the other variants. In the same vein, the presence of brachyparacytic stomata in the abaxial leaf epidermis of an accession of Xanthosoma 'Ede Uhie' and its absence in other cultivars indicate divergent advancement in its evolution (Osuji and Nwala, 2015). This suggests evolutionary divergence between Caladium variant D and the other variants.…”

“…These could suggest correlations between changes in vascular bundle and collenchyma characters and the appearance and further evolution of the unisexual-flowered, aperigoniate aroids (Natalie et al, 2011). Morpho-anatomical character patterns seem to imply a major adaptive shift in the evolution of aroids (Hesse, 2006a, b), and could be used to distinguish closely related plants ( Kemka-Evans et al, 2014;Osuji and Nwala, 2015).…”

“…This is due in part to the lack of up-to-date reference material which illustrates all cultivars in colour, as well as the sale of cultivars without reliable names (Jin et al, 1999). Among the Araceae family, calcium oxalate deposits can be diagnostic, including their presence, type, diversity, occurrence and distribution have been noted to enhance the delimitation of members of this family (Osuji and Nwala, 2015;Osuji, 2013;Nurul et al, 2013;Mais and Amal, 2012;Gary, 2009) and raphide idioblasts are known as storage facilities for Aroids (Okoli, 1988;Okoli and Green, 1987;Okoli and McEuen, 1986).…”