Anatomy of symbiotic fungal endophytes in Psilotum nudum (L.) P. Beauv

A study was undertaken to identify the presence of fungal endophyte in fern plant, Psilotum nudum. Being the only living species of a once populated division, P. nudum is the most primitive vascular plant. Cross section of stipe and rhizoid parts was done to observe the presence of endophyte within parenchyma cells. Samples of P. nudum were collected at different sites in Bangi. Anatomical study showed P. nudum has percentage of infected cells highest in rhizoid parenchyma cortex (22.2%) and lowest in the apical area (3.1%). Eleven fungal endophyte isolates were successfully isolated and identified from P. nudum with Aspergillus being the major genus. Is Aspergillus a host-specific endophyte? The present study shows the compatibility of P. nudum parenchyma cells as a host to fungal endophyte

Systematic significance of leaf epidermal characterictics in Shorea Roxb. (Dipterocarpaceae) in Malaysia

The taxonomic problems in Shorea mostly involve identification and classification. The investigation presented in this study aims to prove that leaf epidermal characteristics have taxonomic value in Shorea. Epidermal peels were prepared using Jeffrey’s solution. The underside of the leaf surface was scraped with a razor blade to remove lose cells and soaked for several days in Jeffrey’s solution or bleaching agent Vortex. The cleared leaf was washed, stained with Safranin, dehydrated, mounted, photographed and observed as described. For observation under scanning electron microscope, 3 to 5 mm2 leaf sections were washed in water, dehydrated through an alcohol series, were then placed between two glass slides, undergone critical point drying process, coated with gold palladium and were examined in a 2.7Å field emission of Cambridge Instruments Stereoscan 360 scanning electron microscope. Results have shown that the epidermis of the leaf surface under LM is useful for distinguishing S. isoptera, and S. maxwelliana, from the others and also between these two species themselves, so that it could be a diagnostic character. The study of the epidermal surfaces revealed a number of important micromorphological characters, and these characters exhibit interesting interspecific variations that are of significance for species identification and authentification. The presence of crustose wax with an abundance of flakes on the leaf surface may be characteristic of S. parviflora. The epidermal sculpturing has considerable diagnostic value, and may characterize some species and could serve as a criterion of distinguishing S. bracteolata. Results have shown that leaf epidermal features could be useful for authentification and identification purposes especially at species level, thus this study have shown taxonomic value of leaf epidermal characteristics in Shorea

Morfologi trikom pada petal dan sepal spesies terpilih Acanthaceae di Semenanjung Malaysia

Acanthaceae merupakan famili tumbuhan angiosperma di bawah order Lamiales yang terdiri daripada sekurang-kurangnya 4000 spesies sama ada spesies tropika atau subtropika. Spesies daripada famili ini ditemui di pelbagai habitat dan mempunyai pelbagai morfologi serta corak taburan geografi. Walau bagaimanapun, maklumat mengenai ciri anatomi bagi Acanthaceae masih dangkal sehingga ke hari ini. Objektif kajian ini ialah untuk mengenal pasti jenis trikom yang hadir pada permukaan epidermis adaksial dan abaksial sepal dan juga petal bunga bagi beberapa spesies terpilih daripada Acanthaceae di Semenanjung Malaysia. Kajian ini melibatkan pengumpulan sampel di lapangan, penyediaan spesimen baucer, teknik kajian epidermis petal, cerapan di bawah mikroskop cahaya dan juga cerapan di bawah mikroskop imbasan elektron. Tiga puluh jenis trikom dicerap dalam kajian ini dan daripada jumlah tersebut, 23 jenis trikom dicerap hadir pada permukaan epidermis petal manakala 17 jenis trikom dicerap hadir pada permukaan epidermis sepal. Jenis trikom yang direkodkan ialah trikom ringkas unisel dan ringkas multisel, trikom kelenjar kapitat dan kelenjar peltat serta juga trikom berlengan. Keputusan kajian ini menunjukkan kehadiran dan jenis trikom pada permukaan sepal dan petal mempunyai nilai taksonomi yang berguna untuk tujuan pembezaan dan pengecaman spesies. Maklumat ciri morfologi trikom yang diperoleh daripada kajian ini merupakan maklumat baharu ciri anatomi bunga bagi Acanthaceae

Leaf anatomical characteristics of Avicennia L. and some selected taxa in Acanthaceae

The proposed placement of Avicennia L. into Acanthaceae had been made based only on molecular data. The main objective of this study is to investigate whether anatomical leaf characteristics of the Avicennia species support this placement. This study also aims to determine the leaf anatomical characteristics and their taxonomic value for some selected taxa ofAcanthaceae. Seven species were studied, namely A. alba Blume, A. officinalis L., A. lanata Ridley, Justicia gendarussa Burm. f., J. betonica L., Strobilanthes crispa Blume and Asystasia gangetica subsp. micrantha (L.) T. Anderson. Methods used were sectioning using sliding microtome, leaf clearing, epidermal peels, and observation under a light microscope. Findings have shown great differences between Avicenniaspecies andother studied taxa. There are eleven outstanding leaf anatomical variations which may be used to distinguish all Avicennia species from the others, such as the presence and absence of brachysclereids, hypodermal layers, cystoliths and the presence of denture on the abaxial side of leaf margin, type of trichomes and stomata, areolar venation, marginal outline, shape of vascular bundles in the midrib, and the pattern of anticlinal walls on the adaxial and abaxial epidermis cells. The presence of mucilaginous idioblasts cells is common in all species studied. This study has shown that the genus Avicennia does not share similar leaf anatomical characteristics with the other taxa in Acanthaceae. As a conclusion, the placement of the genus Avicennia into the Acanthaceae has not been supported by leaf anatomical characteristics; therefore, it is suggested that this placement be revised

Perbandingan ciri anatomi daun Tetrastigma rafflesiae (Miq.) Planchon dan Tetrastigma pedunculare (Wall. ex Laws.) Planch. di Semenanjung Malaysia

Kajian ini bertujuan untuk melakukan kajian terhadap ciri anatomi daun Tetrastigma rafflesiae (Miq.) Planchon dan Tetrastigma pedunculare (Wall. ex Laws.) Planch. yang merupakan perumah kepada bunga pakma dan pakma tikus di Semenanjung Malaysia. Sampel daun diperoleh daripada habitat asal iaitu Gunung Bubu, Gerik, Perak. Teknik piawai dalam anatomi tumbuhan digunakan dan imbasan adalah menggunakan mikroskop cahaya dan mikroskrop imbasan elektron (SEM) dengan pemerhatian dilakukan meliputi bahagian petiol, tulang daun, lamina, epidermis dan peruratan daun. Hasil menunjukkan kehadiran trikom dan sel arenkima hanya terdapat pada T. pedunculare sahaja. Bilangan berkas vaskular medula pada T. rafflesiae adalah tunggal, manakala T. pedunculare adalah tiga. Oleh itu, ketiga-tiga ciri ini dapat membezakan dengan jelas kedua-dua spesies

Pollen characters of Firmiana Malayana Kostem. (Malvaceae: Sterculoideae) in Malaysia

Firmiana malayana also known as "Bullocks eye or Mata Lembu" in Malaysia and can be found along riverbanks and open forests in Peninsular Malaysia and seldom planted in populated areas. The flowers of the Firmiana malayana are vivid orange in colour, on tassels up to 12?cm long. Usually this species will shed its leaves after a dry period and remains bare for six to eight weeks. The objective of this study is to determine the pollen morphological characteristics of the Firmiana malayana in order to add more information on the species under the family of Sterculiaceae in Malaysia. Methods for this study includes acetolysis technique for the pollens and viewed under light microscope and scanning electron microscope. Results shown that the pollens of the species Firmiana malayana appeared to be monad and dyad with tricolporate class with both porate and colpus present. The shape of this species is prolate with P/E index of 1.49. This species was considered as medium-size pollens as the pollens ranges from 26-36?μm. The ornamentation of the pollen is reticulate where the ornamentation is network-like pattern formed by exine elements of lumen and murus. Based on the results obtained, pollen morphology is a great tool that can aid in plant identification and classification as well having taxonomic values

Ciri fizikal dan mikroskopi anatomi kayu Malvaceae subfamili Bombacoideae dan Helicteroideae

Kajian mengenai ciri fizikal dan mikroskopi anatomi kayu telah dijalankan pada 36 spesies Malvaceae subfamili Bombacoideae (genus Bombax) dan Helicteroideae (genus Coelostegia, Durio, Kostermansia dan Neesia) di Malaysia. Objektif kajian ini ialah untuk menentukan kesesuaian penempatan genus Bombax dan Coelostegia, Durio, Kostermansia dan Neesia di bawah subfamili berbeza iaitu Bombacoideae and Helicteroideae dengan membandingkan hasil analisis fenetik berangka dan pengelasan berdasarkan molekul DNA; menentukan kesesuaian penempatan kelompok Helicteroideae: Durioneae di bawah subfamili Helicteroideae bersama dengan genus kelompok Helicteroideae s.s.; dan menyemak status Boschia sama ada sebagai genus tersendiri atau perlu digabungkan dengan Durio. Hasil analisis fenetik berangka menyokong cadangan pengelasan berdasarkan molekul DNA yang mengasingkan Bombax (Bombacoideae) daripada subfamili Helicteroideae. Keputusan analisis fenetik berangka juga menunjukkan bahawa kelompok Helicteroideae: Durioneae (Coelostegia, Durio, Kostermansia dan Neesia) perlu dikeluarkan daripada subfamili Helicteroideae dan dicadangkan untuk diletakkan di bawah subfamili baharu iaitu Durionoideae. Sebaliknya, kajian ini menolak cadangan pengelasan yang menaikkan subfamili Bombacoideae kepada famili Bombacaceae, subfamili Helicteroideae s.s. kepada famili Helicteradaceae dan subfamili Helicteroideae: Durioneae kepada famili Durionaceae. Hasil analisis fenetik berangka menunjukkan Boschia perlu digabungkan dengan Durio

Systematic significance of midrib vascular bundles in some Schefflera Spreng (Araliaceae) species

Anatomy study was undertaken on midrib vascular bundles of six Schefflera Spreng species, namely as S. obovatilimba, S. borneensis, S.kinabaluensis, S.lineamentorum, S. opacus and S.petiolosa. The genus Schefflera belongs to the family Araliaceae. The objective of this study is to determine variations in the midrib anatomical characteristics that can be used to identify species. Leaves samples were collected from various forest reserves in Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia., were fixed in AA (Acetic acid: Alcohol, in a ratio of 1:3), the midrib parts then were sectioned using sliding microtome, were stained in Safranin and Alcian blue, been mounted in Eupharal and were observed under light microscope. Findings in this study have shown that all species have complex structure of vascular bundles. Each species has identical arrangement of vascular bundles and can be very useful for species identification. As a conclusion, variation in the midrib anatomical characteristics is outstanding and can has taxonomic value in the genus Schefflera respectively

Systematic significance of stipe anatomy of Selaginella (Selaginellaceae) in Peninsular Malaysia

An anatomical study was carried out on 14 taxa belonging to Selaginellaceae in an attempt to study their stipe anatomical characteristics and to provide anatomical data for the selected taxa in Selaginellaceae. Out of 29 taxa of Selaginellaceae recorded in Peninsular Malaysia, 14 taxa have been selected namely Selaginella alutacia, S. argentea, S. frondosa, S. intermedia var. intermedia, S. intermedia var. dolichocentrus, S. mayeri, S. morganii, S. ornata, S. plana, S. polita, S. roxburghii var. roxburghii, S. stipulata, S. wallichii and S. willdenowii. Method used in this study was sectioning using sliding microtome. Findings in this study have shown that Selaginellaceae species studied can be clustered into two groups based on the stipe stellar systems, which are monostelic and tristelic groups. There are some variations exist in the cross sections of the stipes of the same species due to the presence and absence of the leaf trace. Each species is proved to have distinct stipe anatomical characteristics that can be used to differentiate species in Selaginellaceae

Ciri morfologi diagnosis debunga Bruguiera, Ceriops, Kandelia dan Rhizophora (Rhizophoraceae)di Semenanjung Malaysia=Diagnostic Morphological Characteristics of Bruguiera, Ceriops, Kandelia and Rhizophora Pollen (Rhizophoraceae) in Peninsular Malaysia)

Famili Rhizophoraceae ialah famili tumbuhan utama di hutan paya bakau dengan 16 genus dan 120 spesies dan di Semenanjung Malaysia terdapat tujuh genus dan 17 spesies. Kajian palinologi masih kurang dijalankan di hutan paya bakau untuk melihat kepentingan ciri morfologi debunga dan adaptasinya terhadap persekitaran. Objektif kajian ini ialah untuk menyenaraikan ciri umum, variasi dan ciri diagnosis morfologi debunga antara spesies dan genus dalam famili Rhizophoraceae di Semenanjung Malaysia. Kaedah kajian melibatkan teknik asetolisis, pencerapan di bawah mikroskop cahaya dan mikroskop imbasan elektron. Keputusan kajian menunjukkan terdapat dua kelas debunga iaitu tri-zono-kolpat dan tri-zono-kolporat. Kesemua spesies kajian mempunyai debunga bersaiz kecil (10-25 µm) dan mempunyai debunga bentuk sferoid kecuali Rhizophora x lamarckii dengan bentuk subprolat. Dua corak hiasan eksin ditemui pada genus Bruguiera iaitu skabrat-perforat (B. cylindrica, B. parviflora. B. hainesii dan B. sexangula) dan psilat-skabrat (B. gymnorhiza). Genus Ceriops dan Rhizophora stylosa mempunyai hiasan eksin perforat manakala R. apiculata dan R. mucronata mempunyai corak eksin perforat-retikulat. Kekunci dikotomi pengecaman spesies dan genus telah dibina berdasarkan keputusan kajian. Secara kesimpulan, ciri morfologi debunga mempunyai nilai taksonomi terutamanya untuk pembezaan dan pengecaman spesies dan genus bagi famili Rhizophoraceae.************************************************************ Rhizophoraceae is a plant family in mangrove forest with approximately 16 genera and 120 species and seven genera and 17 species are found in Peninsular Malaysia. Palynology study in mangroves to investigate the importance of pollen morphological characteristics and adaptation to its environment is still meagre. The objectives of this study were to list the common features, variations and diagnostic features of pollen morphology among species and genera in the Rhizophoraceae family. The methods involved acetolysis techniques and observation under light and scanning electron microscopes. The results showed that there are two pollen classes which are tri-zono-colpate and tri-zono-colporate. All the species studied have small size (10-25 μm) and spheroidial shaped pollen except Rhizophora x lamarckii with subprolate pollen. Two types of exine ornamentation were found in Bruguiera, i.e. scabrate-perforate (B. cylindrica, B. parviflora. B. hainesii and B. sexangula) and psilate-scabrate (B. gymnorhiza). On the other hand, the genus Ceriops and Rhizophora stylosa have perforate exine ornamentation and R. apiculata and R. mucronata have exine ornamentation perforate-reticulate. Dichotomy key for species and genus identification has been constructed based on the findings. As a conclusion pollen morphological characteristics have taxonomic value especially for the genus and species differentiation and identification in the family Rhizophoraceae