Comparative study on morpho-anatomy of leaf, stem and root of Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Nyctaginaceae) and its adulterant plants

Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa L.- Nyctaginaceae) is a promising drug to rejuvenate new cells in the body. It is well known in Ayurvedic medicine and locally called Tambadivasu. Superficially it is similar to other species of Boerhaavia and species of Trianthema and Sesuvium. Due to the minute morphological differences, the above plants are erroneously used in medicine as Punarnava, and at times on purpose as an adulterant. Therefore, it is necessary to highlight the anatomical features of Punarnava for proper identification of the medicinal plant species for local people and for scientific research. Due to the ambiguity in local names and similar apparent appearance, market samples of Punarnava are often adulterated with various species of Trianthema and Sesuvium. These adulterated samples contain neither the Punarnavine alkaloid, nor does it possess anisocytic stomata but possess paracytic stomata. Comparative study of stem anatomy showed two main characteristic differences. First, plenty of starch grains can be seen in both the ground parenchymatous tissues present in between successive cambia and xylem parenchyma of Punarnava which is not observed in species of Trianthema, and second, the phloem around the xylem of Punarnava root has semi-circular or eccentric patches, while that of Trianthema only has narrow strips. This study is focused on comparative SEM study of leaf morphologies and anatomy of leaf, stem, and root of Boerhaavia diffusa L., Trianthema portulacastrum L. and Sesuvium portulacastrum L

Estructura y desarrollo de haces corticales en Couroupita guianensis Aubl. (Lecythidaceae)

Estructura y desarrollo de haces corticales en Couroupita guianensis Aubl. (Lecythidaceae) El desarrollo de haces corticales, en ramas y pedúnculos de Couroupita guianensis (Lecythidaceae), comienza cerca del meristemo apical concomitante con los haces vasculares normales. Cada haz cortical llega a estar rodeado por una vaina de fibras que, a menudo, mostraba la presencia de una capa gelatinosa (fibras G). A medida que avanza el crecimiento, cada haz se puede dividir en dos o tres haces. Algunos de los haces son mayores y muestran elementos vasculares bien diferenciados debido a su asociación con frutos en desarrollo, mientras que los más pequeños, con pocos vasos, pueden ser trazas foliares o de yemas de flores que caen antes de la fecundación. El xilema secundario del haz cortical está compuesto de vasos, fibras y células del parénquima axial, mientras que el floema consiste en tubos cribosos, células de acompa- ñamiento y células del parénquima axial.The development of cortical bundles, in the branches and peduncles of Couroupita guianensis (Lecythidaceae), initiates close to the apical meristem concomitant with the normal vascular bundles. Each cortical bundle becomes surrounded by a sheath of fibres, which most often showed presence of gelatinous layer (G-fibres). As growth progresses, theses bundle may divide into two-three bundles. Some of the bundles are larger and show well differentiated vascular elements due to their association with developing fruits while narrower bundles, with few vessels, may be leaf traces or flower bud traces that fell down before fertilization. The secondary xylem of cortical bundle is composed of vessels, fibres and axial parenchyma cells while phloem consiste of sieve tubes, companion cells and axial parenchyma cells

Comparative study on morpho-anatomy of leaf, stem and root of Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Nyctaginaceae) and its adulterant plants

ABSTRACT Punarnava (Boerhaavia diffusa L.- Nyctaginaceae) is a promising drug to rejuvenate new cells in the body. It is well known in Ayurvedic medicine and locally called Tambadivasu. Superficially it is similar to other species of Boerhaavia and species of Trianthema and Sesuvium. Due to the minute morphological differences, the above plants are erroneously used in medicine as Punarnava, and at times on purpose as an adulterant. Therefore, it is necessary to highlight the anatomical features of Punarnava for proper identification of the medicinal plant species for local people and for scientific research. Due to the ambiguity in local names and similar apparent appearance, market samples of Punarnava are often adulterated with various species of Trianthema and Sesuvium. These adulterated samples contain neither the Punarnavine alkaloid, nor does it possess anisocytic stomata but possess paracytic stomata. Comparative study of stem anatomy showed two main characteristic differences. First, plenty of starch grains can be seen in both the ground parenchymatous tissues present in between successive cambia and xylem parenchyma of Punarnava which is not observed in species of Trianthema, and second, the phloem around the xylem of Punarnava root has semi-circular or eccentric patches, while that of Trianthema only has narrow strips. This study is focused on comparative SEM study of leaf morphologies and anatomy of leaf, stem, and root of Boerhaavia diffusa L., Trianthema portulacastrum L. and Sesuvium portulacastrum L