Relationship between physicochemical parameters and zooplanktons in Karidna reservoir, Kaduna state

Abstract

The aim of the research was to study the leaf epidermal structures and stomata ontogeny in some members of the family Lamiaceae. The species used in this study were Vitex doniana, Gmelina arborea and Tectona grandis. Leaf epidermal structures, stomata types, sizes, distribution and development were examined and to estimate stomata frequency, stomata index was also evaluated. The epidermal cells were polygonal in Gmelina arborea, rectangular and irregular in Vitex doniana and isodiametric and some are elongated in Tectona grandis. The stomata ontogeny was mesogenous in all the species. Types of stomata observed were anomocytic in Vitex doniana, anisocytic and anomocytic in Gmelina arborea and paracytic in Tectona grandis. For stomata distribution, Gmelina arborea was amphistomatic with very scanty stomata on adaxial epidermis, while both Vitex doniana and Tectona grandis were hypostomatic. The stomata index measured using micrometer and eye piece graticule (µm) were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 5% level of significance. The result showed that there were no significant differences in stomata length and pore breadth in Vitex doniana and Gmelina arborea. However, there was significant difference in the number of epidermal cells and trichomes amongst the three species studied. Therefore, the assertion that three species be placed in the same genus should be rejected and thus recommends the earlier classification which separates the three species into different genera.

Keywords: Epidermal structures, Stomata ontogeny, Lamiaceae, leaf.