Leaf anatomical studies of Chamaecrista subsect. Baseophyllum (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae): new evidence for the up-ranking of the varieties to the species level

Abstract

This study aims to determine whether morphoanatomical characters of the leaves of the species of Chamaecrista sect. Absus subsection Baseophyllum could be used to support an up-ranking of C. cytisoides varieties to the species level as previously defined by molecular studies. The significance of anatomical adaptive strategies to arid environments is also discussed. Standard light microscopy techniques and histochemical tests were used for both morphoanatomical and histochemical characterization of the leaves. All the species studied share a single-layered epidermis, actinodromous–camptodromous–brochidodromous type of venation, vascular bundles surrounded by layers of fibers bounded externally by a sheath of cells containing solitary crystals, enlarged tracheids at the vein endings, vascular petiole/rachis tissue with a parenchymatous pith, accessory vascular bundles, mucilage idioblasts and hypodermis in the mesophyll, colleters, and non-secretory trichomes. The position and type of stomata, type of mesophyll, number of palisade and spongy parenchyma layers, position of mucilage idioblasts in the mesophyll, and the number of accessory vascular bundles of petiole/rachis provided useful characters for discriminating the eight species of the subsect. Baseophyllum. Histochemical tests reveal the presence of total polysaccharides, pectins, mucilage and phenolic compounds in the idioblasts. Other xeromorphic characters such as thickened outer periclinal cell walls, compact mesophyll, mucilage idioblasts and hypodermis in the mesophyll may help enable the studied species to survive in exposed sunny areas.