FUW TRENDS IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(A Peer Review Journal)
e–ISSN: 2408–5162; p–ISSN: 2048–5170
keywords: Folia mophology, delimitation, leaf, Stomata, Cassia, Ceasalpinoideae
The foliar epidermal characters of species of Senna and Cassia were studied in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in search for useful taxonomic characters; these include Senna alata (L.) Roxb., S. hirsuta (L.) Irwin and Barneby, S. obtusifolia (L), S. occidentalis (L.), S. siamea (Lam.), S. singueana (L), S. siberiana (L) and Cassia absus. All species were shruby except for senna siamea and S. alata which are either shruby or trees. The stomata found were paracytic and anisocytic in most of the studied species except for S. hirsutae and S. siberiana which were paracytic all through. There was variability in the length which was highest in S. hirsutae (2.22 µm) and lowest in S. siamea (1.32 µm) of their stomata and the frequency, highest in S. hirsutae (42.75 µm) and lowest in S. obtusfolia (18.55 µm) reflects their taxonomic delimitation. These stomata were found both on the abaxial and adaxial surfaces of the studied plants (amphistomata). A dichotomous taxonomic key was constructed to aid the identification of the studied Senna and Cassia species.
Abubakar BY, Muazu S, Khan AU & Adamu AK 2011. Morpho-anatomical variation in some accession of Moringa oleifera Lam. From Northern Nigeria. Afri. J. Plant Sci., 5(12): 742-748. Adegbite A 1995. Leaf epidermal studies in three Nigerian species of Aspilia (Heliantheae-Asteraceae) and Two hybrids. Nig. J. Botany, 8: 25-33. AyensuEZ 1978. Medicinal Plants of West Africa. Reference Publication Inc. Michigan USA. Burkill HM 1995.. The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa, Ed2, Vol. 3, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. London, pp. 150-167. Dalin P, Jon A, Christer B, Pirita H & Katri K 2008. Leaf trichome formation and plant resistance to herbivory book chapter, p. 4. Eddy MQ 1997. Taxonomic significance of foliar epidermal dermo types and floral trichomes in some taxa of Cuban indigofera L.(Fabaceae). Polibotanica, 6: 1-8. Gopal BV 1970. Structure and development of stomata on vegetative and floral organs of some Amaryllidaceae. Annals of Botany 34: 737-749. Hutchison J & Dalziel JM 1958. Flora of West Tropical Africa. Vol I part 2. The Whitefraius press Ltd. London. Irwin HS & Barneby RC 1982. Review of Cassinae in the New World. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden, 35: 1 – 918. Kidwai P & Pant DD1964. Diversity in the development and organization of stomata in the Phylanodiflora (L). Green Current Science, 33: 653-654. Kissmann KG & Groth D 1992. Plantas infestantes e nocivas. BASF Brasileira S.A., S˜ao Paulo, 798. Marazzi B, Endress KP, de Queiroz LP & Conti E 2006. Phylogenetic relationships within Senna (Leguminosae, Cassiinae) based on three chloroplast DNA regions: patterns in the evolution of floral symmetry and extrafloral nectaries. Amer. J. Botany, 9(2): 288–303. doi:10.3732/ajb.93.2.288 Metcalfe CR & Chalk L 1957. Anatomy of the dicotyledons. Volume 2. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Nwachukwu CU, Mbagwu FN & Onyeji AN 2007. Morphological and leaf epidermal features of Capsicum annuum and Capsicum frutescens Solanaceae. Nature and Science, 5(3): 54-60. Ogundipe OT, Kadiri, AB & Adekanmbi OH 2009. Foliar epidermal morphology of some Nigerian species of Senna (Caesalpiniaceae). Indian J. Sci. and Techn., 2(10): 5-9. OgunkunleATJ & Ladejobi TA 2006. Ethnobotanical and phytochemical studies on some species of Senna in Nigeria. Afri. J. Biotechnology, 5(21): 2020-2023. Olorode O 1984. Taxonomy of West African flowering plants. Longman Group Limited. The Book Project, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Pant DD & Verma BK 1974. Taxonomy of the genus Ephedra. Significance of stem and leaf epidermis and cuticle. Botanical J. Linnean Society., 9: 287-308. Randell BR & Barlow BA 1998. In: A. S. George (executive editor). Australian Government Publishing Service: Canberra, Australia. Flora of Australia, 12: 89-138. Saheed SA & Illoh HC 2010. A taxonomic study of some species in Cassiinae (Leguminosae) using leaf epidermal characters. Not. Bot. Hort. Agrobot. Cluj., 38(1): 21-27. Soladoye MO & Lewis GP 2003. A checklist of Nigerian legumes. CENRAD, 12-14.
