Leaf and stem anatomy of three species of aquatic plants

Abstract

The aerenchyma is a tissue of conduction that facilitates the transportation of gases, for example oxygen. in its structure it is very efficient and produces buoyancy in many organs be keeping firmness in plants with a reduced number of cells. Most aquatic plants develop constitutive aerenchyma in their roots, stems, petioles and leaves. In general aerenchyma occurs in response to hypoxia. Therefore, the limits of adaptation in these plants, based on the presence of aerenchyma, may vary according to the type of specie. It may be present in some organs and not present in others.

The main purpose of this research was the identification of aerenchyma in: Salvinia auriculata, Eichhornia crassipes from the Botanical Garden and Nymphaea caerulea from the Universidad Autónoma de Honduras lagoon. Petiole, peduncle and leaves samples were taken of the three species. Lysigenous aerenchyma and cell inclusions as sclereids were found in Nymphaea caerulea; schizogeny aerenchyma with styloids inclusions were found in Eichhornia crassipes. However, in Salvinia auriculata reduced schizogeny aerenchyma can be observed without cell inclusions.

Revista Portal de Ciencias, No. 8, June 2015: 31-44