Resumo

TERRAZAS, Teresa; LOZA-CORNEJO, Sofía  e  ARREOLA-NAVA, Hilda J. Stem anatomy of the species of the genus Stenocereus (Cactaceae). Acta Bot. Venez. [online]. 2005, vol.28, n.2, pp.321-336. ISSN 0084-5906.

Stenocereus stem anatomy was described and compared with other Cactoideae. Stenocereus had a smooth and thin cuticle, epidermal cells showed oblique divisions, which distinguish S. stellatus, S. treleasei and S. zopilotensis by their abundance. The occurrence of silica bodies in the epidermal and hypodermal cells characterizes the genus. The profusion of the mucilage cells is a character shared by the Stenocereus species with its sister taxon. In addition, the distribution of the mucilage cells in the cortex allowed recognizing two groups of species. Phelloderm development and the presence of multiple perforation plates in the secondary xylem were characters described for the first time for the genus. Abundance mucilage cells and silica bodies allow distinguishing Stenocereus species from other members of the family.

Palavras-chave : Stem anatomy; Cacti; Silica bodies; Bidirectional periderm; Stenocereus.