Morpho-anatomical studies on <i>Phyllobotryon spathulatum</i> Müll. arg., A pseudo-epiphyllous plant

Abstract

Due to the increasing level of complexity in plant structure, misidentification becomes inevitable in the use of such plant species. Morphological and anatomical studies were carried out on the underutilised and rarely known pseudo-epiphyllous Phyllobotryon spathulatum, obtained from Cross River National Park, Akamkpa, Nigeria, to provide additional information for its proper identification. Impression technique, involving colourless nail vanishes, was used to obtain leaf epidermal peels. Free-hand sectioning was used to obtain anatomical sections of the leaf, stem and root. Morphological characters revealed that the habit of the plant is perennial, rarely branched erect shrub or tree up to 16 feet and grows in loamy humid and tropical rainforest habitat. Cylindrical, hard, hairy and brown stem. Lanceolate leaf shape about 70-75 cm in length, serrate margin adorned with small palm-like leaflet second outgrowth. Pseudo-epiphyllous inflorescence on mature upper leaves; incomplete white to purple flower. Observation of photomicrographs of the slides of the epidermal peel and anatomical sections showed the hypostomatic distribution, paracytic stomata with index of 28 % and 20 % in old and juvenile leaves, respectively. Trichome has present in arch-shaped midrib but absent in lamina. Rounded epidermal circumference stem with non-glandular trichome. Piths were inconspicuous in the stem and root. Results obtained from this study could be used in the identification and further characterisation of the plant