Abstract

GARCIA, Marina; JAUREGUI, Damelis  and  PEREZ, Delis. Anatomía foliar de Passiflora guazumaefolia juss. y Passiflora aff. tiliaefolia L. (Passifloraceae) presentes en Venezuela. Ernstia [online]. 2008, vol.18, n.2, pp.165-176. ISSN 0252-8274.

Leaf anatomy of Passiflora guazumaefolia and Passiflora aff. tiliaefolia was studied in order to find out the possible existence of histological features of taxonomic value. Fresh leaves were fixed in FAA and samples were processed using classical techniques to obtain both, free hand sections of blade and petiole and as well as leaf macerations. Micromorphology of the leaves using scanning electron microscopy (MEB) was studied. Results show that the differences of possible diagnostic value to separate the studied species are: presence of scale like trichomes on the adaxial epidermis of P. guazumaefolia, presence of ornamentations on the adaxial cuticule and cuticular striations of the adjacent cells to the stomata of Passiflora aff. tiliaefolia; presence of secretory cells in leaf blade and petiole of P. aff. tiliaefolia and abundance of druses in parenchyma cells of the midvein and in the parenchyma and collenchyma cells of the petiole of P. guazumaefolia.

Keywords : Anatomy; leaf; Passiflora; Venezuela.