Valor taxonómico de la micromorfología de la hoja y la fitoquímica cuantitativa de Jatropha integerrima Jacq. y Jatropha podagrica Hook. (Euphorbiaceae)-conocidas plantas hortícolas en Nigeria

The leaf micro-morphology and quantitative phytochemistry of J. integerrima and J. podagrica were examined to find useful characters for the delimitation of taxa, following standard protocols as described by previous authors. Both species are hypostomatic (paracytic). Trichome (multicellular, non-glandular) are only present on the adaxial surface of J. integerrima and absent in other epidermal surfaces. Phytochemical analysis also showed little differences in the amount of bioactive compounds present in both species. Phenol contents are the highest in the two species: 37.65% in J. integerrima and 36.13% in J. podagrica. The similarities and differences in the foliar epidermal characters and phytochemical content can be used to delimit the two studies species, as taxonomic characters.Se examinó la micromorfología y la fitoquímica cuantitativa de J. integerrima y J. podagrica para para identificar caracteres útiles para la delimitación taxonómica, siguiendo protocolos estandarizados, descritos por autores anteriores. Ambas especies son hipostómicas (paracíticas). Los tricomas (multicelulares, no glandulares) estaban presentes sólo en la superficie adaxial de J. integerrrima y ausentes en otras superficies epidérmicas. Los análisis fitoquímos también señalaron pequeñas diferencias en la cantidad de compuestos bioactivos presentes en ambas especies. El contenido de fenol es el mayoritario en ambas especies: 37.65% en J. integerrima y 36.13% en J. podagrica. Las semejanzas y diferencias de los caracteres epidérmico-foliares y contenidos fitoquímicos puede

Aeropalynological Investigation of the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Hay fever allergy could either be from pollen or fungi spores. Using the Hirst model of pollen trap, pollen buckets were constructed; with pollen trap solutions inside them, they were placed in specific locations in the University of Ilorin for four months (December 2012/January 2013 to March/April 2013). Using acetolysis reaction, pollens and spores were recovered from the trap solution and were analyzed and identified in the microscope. Pollen/spore were counted and compared with meteorological parameters i.e. rainfall, sunshine, wind speed, humidity, and temperature. It was observed that pollen/spore concentrations were influenced by these meteorological factors. Hence there is need for us to always determine the amount of these pollen/spore concentrations all year round as it will help to predict the vegetation of a given area as well as helping hay fever sufferers manage their allergies effectively

Valor taxonómico de la micromorfología de la hoja y la fitoqímica cunatitativa de Jatropha integerrima Jacq. y Jatropha podagrica Hook. (Euphorbiaceae) - conocidas plantas hortícolas en Nigeria

Valor taxonómico de la micromorfología de la hoja y la fitoqímica cuantitativa de Jatropha integerrima Jacq. y Jatropha podagrica Hook. (Euphorbiaceae)-conocidas plantas hortícolas en Nigeria Se examinó la micromorfología y la fitoquímica cuantitativa de J. integerrima y J. podagrica para para identificar caracteres útiles para la delimitación taxonómica, siguiendo protocolos estandarizados, descritos por autores anteriores. Ambas especies son hipostó- micas (paracíticas). Los tricomas (multicelulares, no glandulares) estaban presentes sólo en la superficie adaxial de J. integerrrima y ausentes en otras superficies epidérmicas. Los análisis fitoquímos también señalaron pequeñas diferencias en la cantidad de compuestos bioactivos presentes en ambas especies. El contenido de fenol es el mayoritario en ambas especies: 37.65% en J. integerrima y 36.13% en J. podagrica. Las semejanzas y diferencias de los caracteres epidérmico-foliares y contenidos fitoquímicos pueden ser empleadas para delimitar taxonomicamente ambas especies.Abstract: The leaf micro-morphology and quantitative phytochemistry of J. integerrima and J. podagrica were examined to find useful characters for the delimitation of taxa, following standard protocols as described by previous authors. Both species are hypostomatic (paracytic). Trichome (multicellular, non-glandular) are only present on the adaxial surface of J. integerrima and absent in other epidermal surfaces. Phytochemical analysis also showed little differences in the amount of bioactive compounds present in both species. Phenol contents are the highest in the two species: 37.65% in J. integerrima and 36.13% in J. podagrica. The similarities and differences in the foliar epidermal characters and phytochemical content can be used to delimit the two studies species, as taxonomic characters

Morphometric Study of Several Species of the Genus <i>Jatropha</i> Linn. (Euphorbiaceae)

Morphological parameters of several Jatropha species, namely Jatropha curcas L., Jatropha gossypifolia L., Jatropha podagrica Hook., Jatropha integerrima Jacq. and Jatropha multifida L. were subjected to quantitative analysis within the present study. Twelve traits of the leaves, fruits and seeds were analysed: leaf length, leaf width, leaf length/width ratio, petiole length, petiole width, fruit length, fruit width, fruit length/width ratio, seed length, seed width, fruit stalk length and fruit stalk width were subjected to Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. Highly significant positive correlations have been noted, while negative correlation was observed between leaf width and leaf length/width ratio, fruit width and leaf length/width ratio. Traits such as leaf length, leaf width and leaf length/width ratio contributed significantly along with other traits to discriminate the studied Jatropha species.  J. podagrica and J. integerrima were found to have more similarities, with a stronger coefficient of agglomeration (69.072) than J. curcas and J. podagrica with 315.028 coefficient of agglomeration respectively. The generated dendrogram showed the relationship between the studied Jatropha species, whereas great affinity was noted between J. podagrica and J. multifida as compared with J. gossypifolia and J. integerrima which are distantly related. The closeness observed between J. podagrica and J. multifida is in line with their current sub-generic grouping

Fruit Morphology as Taxonomic Features in Five Varieties of Capsicum annuum L. Solanaceae

Variations in the fruit morphological features of Capsicum annuum varieties were studied. Varieties studied include var. abbreviatum, var. annuum, var. accuminatum, var. grossum, and var. glabriusculum. The fruit morphology revealed attenuated fruit shape with rounded surfaces in var. glabriusculum, and cordate fruit shape with flexuous surface in var. annuum, abbreviatum and accuminatum. The fruit is a berry and may be green, yellow, or red when ripe. The fruit epidermal cell-wall patterns are polygonal in shape with straight and curved anticlinal walls in all the five varieties. The fruit of var. abbreviatum and var. grossum is trilocular, while that of var. accuminatum and annuum is bilocular, and that of var. glabriusculum is tetralocular. Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum had the highest mean number of seeds (108.4) and var. annuum had the lowest number of seeds (41.3) per fruit. The fruit is conspicuously hollowed in var. glabriusculum, accuminatum, and annuum but inconspicuously hollowed in var. abbreviatum and var. grossum. These features are shown to be good taxonomic characters for delimiting the five varieties of Capsicum annuum

Anatomical Response of <i>Amaranthus hybridus</i> Linn. as Influenced by Pharmaceutical Effluents

Anatomical studies were carried out on the leaves, stems and roots of Amaranthus hybridus subjected to irrigation of 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% concentrations of pharmaceutical effluents to identify the responses of this plant to the treatment. Leaf structures of A. hybridus showed no significant change due to the effect of the effluents. Significant reduction was observed in the trichome density and number of epidermal cells at the adaxial surface as from the 20% effluent concentration upward (