Chinese Bulletin of Botany ›› 2009, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (03): 331-337.DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-3466.2009.03.010

• 研究报告 • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Leaf Epidermis of Medicinal Plants of Lepisorus from China

Zhiying Sun 1, 3, Xianchun Zhang 2*   

  1. 1College of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine; 2Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences;3Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
  • Received:2008-09-18 Revised:2008-12-30 Online:2009-05-01 Published:2010-11-03
  • Contact: Xianchun Zhang

Abstract: Leaf epidermal micromorphology of 17 medicinal species of Lepisorus and three species of related genera from China were studied by light microscopy, which revealed some common characteristics. For example, the stomatal apparatus is present on the lower epidermis exclusively. Moreover, all samples showed polocytic-, copolocytic-, axillocytic- and coaxillocytic-type basic patterns. On the basis of the shapes of leaf epidermal cells, patterns of anticlinal walls, types of stomatal apparatus, stomatal index and stomatal size, all examined Lepisorus can be divided into four groups. The leaf epidermal features can serve as a significant trait in distinguishing species in Chinese Lepisorus and provide new information for the exploration of medicinal resources in this group of ferns.