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Bioscience Discovery, 8(3): 574-581, July - 2017

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Research Article

Stomatal Studies in the Genus Chlorophytum (Asparagaceae)

Nalawade A S* and R V Gurav

Department of Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur (MS)-416004

*analawade4@gmail.com

Article Info

Abstract

Received: 08-06-2017,

Revised: 29-06-2017,

Accepted: 30-06-2017

Genus Chlorophytum has been studied for various aspects such as taxonomy,

anatomy, molecular biology and ethnobotany by various workers but in the case

of epidermal and cuticular studies, less attention has been given. Data regarding

stomatal studies is either absent or obscure. In present investigation stomatal

studies has been carried out to know the size, structure and distribution of

epidermal cells, stomata, stomatal density and stomatal index of genus

Chlorophytum. In all the studied species stomata were predominantly

hypostomatic and anomocytic. Maximum length (L) and width (W) is observed

in C. indicum (50.7±0.9 µm & 42±0.8µm) and minimum in C. breviscapum

(25.2±0.7µm & 18.6±0.4µm). Highest stomatal density was observed in C.

gothanense (227±7.4/mm2) and lowest in C. indicum (25±7.5/mm

2). The

Stomatal index was highest in C. glaucoides (51.28) followed by C. gothanense

(46.9) and lowest on C. indicum (29.41) followed by C. kolhapurense (33.33). A

negative correlation was observed in respect to stomatal density and

chromosome number.

Keywords:

Asparagaceae,

Chlorophytum, Stomatal

Density, Stomatal Index.

INTRODUCTION

Stomatal characters are among the epidermal

characteristic, which has been very useful in

taxonomic delimitation apart from functional

relevance of epidermal structures (Hari Babu and

Savithramma, 2014) Distribution, size and

frequency of stomata have been reported to be

specific for a genus or a species (Miller 1938). The

leaf epidermal cells are of significant taxonomic

importance; the length and width are regarded as

useful aids in distinguishing varieties with similar

flowering dates in perennial rye grass (Wilkins &

Sabanci, 1990).

The Chlorophytum is old world genus

distributed in Africa, Australia and Asia and is

represented by about 214 species, 6 subspecies and

14 varieties (Govaerts et al., 2012). Formerly the

genus was considered under family Liliaceae then

in Anthericaceae and now it is being treated under

subfamily Agavoideae of family Asparagaceae

(APG III). In India, the genus is represented by

about 20 species and most of them occur in Western

Ghats (Adsul, 2014). Most of the Chlorophytum

species are usually forest dwellers and ephemerals

making it difficult to find them in flower and fruit.

(Chandore et al., 2012) The restricted distribution,

remote habitat, seasonal flowering and fruiting

period, most of the species have similar sized

flowers and leaf pattern and identification key with

overlapping characters have made the genus

difficult to identify (Adsul et al., 2014). However

there is no detail study done on stomatal and related

anatomical characters on genus Chlorophytum till

date. In present study an attempt was made on

cuticular and epidermal studies of genus

Chlorophytum from India.

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Nalawade and Gurav

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All the 16 species of Chlorophytum were collected

from various localities of India (Table 1) and

germplasm is maintained in the Botanical Garden of

Department of Botany, Shivaji University,

Kolhapur. The foliar epidermal peels were taken

from the middle of both surfaces of mature leaves.

Leaves of Chlorophytum species were collected,

washed and peeled off by tearing the leaf suddenly

and with forcing the lower epidermis upward. A

thin membranous epidermis gets separated near the

broken edges (Singha et al., 2013). These peels

were taken in the Petri plates containing distilled

water for study. These uniformed peels were taken

on glass slides and a drop of 1% safranin stain was

added, kept for 1 minute, washed with water and

then mounted in a drop of glycerine to prevent the

drying. A coverslip was placed and excess of water

was blotted with the help of blotting paper. Slides

were examined and photographed under Biological

research microscope LM 52 1803 with CMOS

15500 - 5.0MP Camera (figure 2). The stomata of

each species are illustrated line drawing (figure 3).

In the stomatal studies, images were analysed by

software TS View version 7.3.1.7 (figure 1) and

readings were noted in 10 randomly selected fields

and mean value was estimated. The values for the

stomatal index were calculated using Salisbury’s

formula (Salisbury, 1927).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Data on epidermal cells, stomatal cells, stomatal arc

and their density and stomatal index are presented

in Table 2.

Epidermal cell size: Lowest value for length is

noted in C. breviscapum (71.4±17.9 µm) and

highest in C. indicum (332.4±44.8µm) and however

minimum width is noted in C. gothanense

(25.9±2.8µm) and maximum in C. heynei

(70.5±4.1µm). On the adaxial surface of all taxa,

the leaf epidermal cells are either hexagonal or

rectangular.

Epidermal cell density: Density value is lowest in

C. laxum (58±10mm2) while highest value is

observed in C. gothanense (257±16.2mm2).

Stomatal distribution: Out of 16 species studied,

amphistomatic leaves were observed in C.

tuberosum with the maximum frequency of stomata

while in C. arundinaceum, C. breviscapum, C.

gothanense, and C. kolhapurense with lesser

frequency and all others have hypostomatic leaves.

Stomata in all are anomocytic. Meidner &

Mansfield (1968) reported linked chain of

epidermal cells with stomata at joints in family

Liliaceae. This type of arrangement was commonly

observed in all studied species.

Stomatal size: Minimum value for length and

width is observed in C. breviscapum (25.2±0.7µm

& 18.6±0.4µm) and maximum in C. indicum

(50.7±0.9 µm & 42±0.8µm).

Stomatal density: Lowest stomatal density is

observed in C. indicum (25±7.5/mm2) and highest

in C. gothanense (227±7.4/ mm2).

Stomatal index: Minimum value is obtained in C.

indicum (29.41) while maximum in C. glaucoides

(51.28).

Stomatal cell arc: Arc with angle, radius and

length in single guard cell of stomata is measured

which shows lowest value for all three parameters

of arc in C. breviscapum (133±11.90, 15.6±1.3µm,

33.9±1.5µm) while highest value for angle is found

in C. laxum (189±5.10) and for radius and length is

found in C. indicum (25.9±0.5 µm & 69.5±2.1 µm).

Plants or tissues with the smaller cell size are more

tolerant of low water potential (Ainsworth et al.,

2006; Muller et al., 2007; Weijschede et al., 2008)

but in present investigation it is found that C.

indicum, C. laxum, C. borivlianum and C.

kolhapurense have larger epidermal cell size though

they were collected from moist or dry deciduous

forest area. Epidermal cell density is higher than the

stomatal density in all taxa except C. glaucum. This

character is useful in identification of respective

species. Patil and Patil (1987) observed the

presence of stomata on adaxial surface of C.

tuberosum. During present study similar

observations were observed in the leaves of C.

arundinaceum, C. breviscapum, C. gothanense, and

C. kolhapurense. In all studied Chlorophytum

species stomata are aperigenous i.e., without

subsidiary cells. Present investigation supports

observations made by Stebbins & Khush (1961) that

plants without subsidiary cells are predominantly

geophytes. Naik and Nirgude (1981) observed that

taxa certain anatomical features such as stomatal

studies indicates close correlation with chromosome

number. In present study taxa with chromosome

number 2n=16 show higher length and width in

epidermal cells. However, stomatal density showed

a negative correlation with chromosome number.

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Bioscience Discovery, 8(3): 574-581, July - 2017

Figure 1. Measurement of dimension of A. Epidermal cell length and width (40X), B. Stomatal length

and width (100X), C. Stomatal density (10X), D. Stomatal arc (100X)

A negative correlation was also observed in

stomatal index, stomatal density and stomatal size.

Stomatal density and index decreases as stomatal

size increases.

Acknowledgment Authors are thankful to the Head, Department of

Botany, Shivaji University, Kolhapur for providing

research facilities and the financial assistance from

UGC-BSR Fellowship, New Delhi is gratefully

acknowledged.

REFERENCES

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Nalawade and Gurav

Figure 2. Structure and distribution of stomata and epidermal cells. 1A-1B. C. arundinaceum, 2A-2B. C.

belgaumense, 3A-3B. C. bharuchae, 4A-4B. C. borivilianum, 5A-5B. C. breviscapum, 6A-6B. C.

glaucoides, 7A-7B. C. glaucum, 8A-8B. C. gothanense, 9A-9B. C. heynei, 10A-10B. C. indicum, 11A-11B.

C. kolhapurense, 12A-12B. C. laxum, 13A-13B. C. malabaricum, 14A-14B. Chlorophytum sp. 15A-15B. C.

nimmonii, 16A-16B. C. tuberosum. (Magnification at A. 10X and B. 100X)

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Bioscience Discovery, 8(3): 574-581, July - 2017

Figure 3. Stomata and stomatal apparatus of A1-A2. C. arundinaceum, B1-B2. C. belgaumense, C1-C2. C.

bharuchae, D1-D2. C. borivilianum, E1-E2. C. breviscapum, F1-F2. C. glaucoides, G1-G2. C. glaucum,

H1-H2. C. gothanense, I1-I2. C. heynei, J1-J2. C. indicum, K1-K2. C. kolhapurense, L1-L2. C. laxum, M1-

M2. C. malabaricum, N1-N2. Chlorophytum sp. O1-O2. C. nimmonii, P1-P2. C. tuberosum (Scale bar

=12µm).

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Nalawade and Gurav

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How to Cite this Article:

Nalawade AS and RV Gurav, 2017. Stomatal Studies in the Genus Chlorophytum (Asparagaceae).

Bioscience Discovery, 8(3):574-581.