Fabiano Machado Martins

Leaf and calycine colleters in Odontadenia lutea (Apocynaceae - Apocynoideae - Odontadenieae): their structure and histochemistry

The structure and histochemistry of colleters found on the vegetative and floral apices of Odontadenia lutea are described. Colleters occur on vegetative apices starting at the fourth node, with 68 to 80 colleters being found at each node. Each leaf primordium has only one colleter of axillary origin, 3-5 intra-petiolar, and 12-16 inter-petiolar (intra-stipular). There are four types of colleters: standard, bipartite standard, sessile, and bipartite sessile. Colleters on the reproductive apices alternate with the sepals and are sessile, reduced sessile, tripartite laminar sessile, or asymmetrical. All of the colleters have a central nucleus of parenchymatous cells covered by a palisade uniseriate secretory epidermis and a thin cuticle. Secretory idioblasts were observed in the parenchymatous axis. Vascularization was observed only in standard axillary and laminar colleters. Crystals were observed in the parenchyma of the axillary colleter. Histochemical tests demonstrated that there was no rupturing or distension of the cuticle during the secretion process. Mucilage was identified using the PAS reaction as well as by Mayers reagent and Ruthenium red staining. The calycine colleters had two distinct secretory phases, the first synthesizing mucilage and the second producing phenolic compounds.

Coléteres foliares e calicinais de Temnadenia violacea (Apocynaceae, Apocynoideae): estrutura e distribuição

(Foliar and calycine colleters of Temnadenia violacea (Apocynaceae, Apocynoideae): structure and distribution). The present work describes the origin, structure and position of the colleters on vegetative and floral apices of Temnadenia violacea (Vell.) Miers and confirms the presence of mucilage in the secretion produced by those structures. The number of foliar colleters ranges from 9 to 11 per primordium and from 18 to 22 per node; only one has an axilar origin, while the others originate along the margins. Concerning position, five of them are petiolar and the others are interpetiolar. There are two types of foliar colleters: standard and sessile, and they consist of a main body composed of a central core of elongated parenchyma cells surrounded by a secretory palisade epidermis and a thin cuticle. Tector trichomes and vascular tissue occur only on the distal marginal colleters. On the floral apices, the calycine colleters are formed at the base of the calyx, three of them opposite the sepals. All of the calycine colleters have a central core of elongated parenchyma cells, a secretory palisade epidermis, a thin cuticle, and are sessile. The calycine colleters are not vascularized and the laticifers are narrow. Mucilage was detected in the secretion of both foliar and calycine colleters.

Secretory structures of Ipomoea asarifolia: anatomy and histochemistry

Ipomoea asarifolia (Desr.) Roem. & Schult., Convolvulaceae, is a weed that infests agricultural areas and is toxic to cattle. In spite of its toxicity, the leaves of this plant are used in traditional remedies in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The present work describes the leaf anatomy of I. asarifolia and characterizes the exudates of its secretory structures. The leaves have a unistratified epidermis composed of ordinary cells with straight to slightly sinuous anticlinal walls and thin cuticles. Paracytic stomata are found on both surfaces of the leaves at the same level as the ordinary epidermal cells. Trichomes producing polysaccharide secretions occur on the petiole and leaf blade and are considered colleters. The mesophyll is dorsiventral and the vascular bundle of the central vein is bicollateral. Two opposed nectaries occur on the petiole near the leaf blade. Each nectary is composed of a small canal with internal ramifications and numerous secretory trichomes. The laticiferous glands are articulated, not anastomosed, and are composed of large diameter cells with thin cell walls. The secretions of the laticiferous glands are lipidic.

Estruturas secretoras em órgãos vegetativos e florais de Secondatia densiflora A.DC. (Apocynaceae - Apocynoideae - Odontadenieae)

The family Apocynaceae is characterized for showing a wide variety of secretory structures such as idioblasts, colleters, laticiferous glands and floral nectaries. The present study aimed to anatomically characterize the secretory structures in vegetative and reproductive organs of Secondatia densiflora and to identify the major classes of chemical compounds in idioblasts and in the secretion of vegetative colleters. Idioblasts are distributed all over the aerial organs of the plant and their content is usually dense and strongly stained with safranin. Some idioblasts have secretion of granulated aspect. Histochemical tests evidenced phenolic compounds only. Laticiferous glands are of the anastomosed type and can be seen in all the studied organs and identified by their distinct content and, in some cases, by the presence of cell walls that are thicker than those of parenchyma cells. Latex is white, milky and leaks as the plant is injured. Vegetative colleters are of the standard type and formed of an elongated portion that becomes thinner towards the end. The secretory palisade epidermis delimits a parenchymatic region, while the short peduncle is covered by rectangular non-secretory epidermis. A thin cuticle covers the entire colleter. Mucilage is detected both inside the secretory cells and in the extracellular medium by ruthenium red staining and PAS reaction. Floral nectaries have receptacular origin and epidermis covering their entire structure, nectariferous parenchyma, and vascular bundles; they are fused at their bases but have free apical region, forming five distinct units.

Ontogênese do pericarpo de Temnadenia violacea (Apocynaceae s.l.)

This work describes the ontogeny of the pericarp of Temnadenia violacea (Vell.) Miers. The ovary is glabrous, superior, with bicarpelar sutural placentation. Each carpel has a single locule with several eggs attached to a well-developed placenta. The ovary wall is composed of outer epidermis, mesophyll and inner epidermis. The fruit is a follicarium composed of two geminate aggregate fruits that are cylindrical, elongated, and woody. In this study two distinct phases of development were considered: young fruit and ripe fruit. The epicarp of the young fruit is uniseriate and the mesocarp can be divided into two distinct regions. The endocarp is formed by cells that are elongated in transverse section. The epicarp of the mature fruit is covered by a thick cuticle having papillae, while the layer of mesocarp cells nearest the endocarp become sclerotized – and together with the cells of the endocarp form the functional endocarp. Non-articulated and ramified laticifers, and lignified and non-lignified fibers were observed in the mesocarp of the mature fruit.