Tropical Plant Research

Tropical Plant Research

An International Journal by Society for Tropical Plant Research

ISSN (E): 2349-1183 ISSN (P): 2349-9265
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2021, VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1Pages: 31-35

Comparative studies of Heterotis rotundifolia (Sm.) Jacq.-Fel. and Dissotis erecta (Guill. & Perr.) Dandy (Melastomataceae) based on macromorpholoy, foliar epidemis and pollen features in Southeastern Nigeria

O. E. Nwankwo, E. C. Ezigbo, S. A. Odewo, E. S. Obasi and M. S. Nwefuru
*Department of Applied Biology, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki Nigeria
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Abstract:
Heterotis rotundifolia and Dissotis erecta were comparatively studied to evaluate their macro-morphological, foliar epidermal and palynological features. Standard materials and methods were employed to carry out the studies. The leaf shapes, surfaces, margin, apex and base of the two species are elliptic, glabrous, entire, acute, acute and oblique respectively. The mean values of the leaf length of Heterotis rotundifolia is 3.23 cmand Dissotis erecta is 3.57 cm while the mean values of the leaf width are 1.96 cm in Heterotis rotundifolia and 1.31 cm in Dissotis erecta. Anisocytic stomata are recorded only on the abaxial surface of Heterotis rotundifolia while tetracytic stomata are common on the abaxial and adaxial surfaces of Dissotis erecta. Stomata are not recorded on the adaxial surface of Heterotis rotundifolia. Cell shapes of the two species studied are mainly pentagonal in all the surfaces except on the abaxial surface of Heterotis rotundifolia where it is isodiametric. Trichomes are absent on the epidermal surfaces. The anticlinal wall patterns are straight and undulate on the surfaces. The pollen grains observed in the two species were tricolpate. The two species which are common in Southeastern Nigeria can easily be differentiated macro-morphologically by their habits and colour of their standard petals. Foliar epidermal features are also of great importance for their differentiations. The palynological report here may be novel since there is no earlier report of pollen features found on the two species studied.
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