Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: The present study deals with the botanical investigations as well as Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) on Asparagus officinalis L. plant (Asparagaceae).Asparagus is a herbaceous, perennial plant that grows up to 1-1.5m height.The plant posses aerial stems (ferns ) and muchbranched feathery foliage.The leaves are triangular scales like, 3-7 mm in length.The cladodes (modified stems ) arise in the axis of scale leaves .Cladodes are found in fascicles (3-6) on each node , they perform photosynthesis.Male plants produce thicker spears than female plants .The flowers are bell-shaped ,greenish-white to yellowish, 4.5-6.5 mm long, with 6-tepals , single or in clusters of 2-3 .The female flower contains a well -developed pistil and vestigial stamens .The male flower has six developed stamens .Seeds are monocots, endospermic , flattened , ellipsoid to rounded with a deep black outer testa , contain small and straight embryos .Germination is hypogeal, primary root does not persist long, its function is replaced by numerous adventitious roots arising on the rhizome.The crowns consist of rhizomes ,fleshy stems, with roots attached on the under surface, as well as buds.SEM exhibited that the seed epidermal cells show globose with isodiametric, slightly elongated oval epidermal cells .Cladode epidermal cells show low density of stomata.The stomata appeared obviously anomocytic type .Slightly elongated reticulate papillae was distinguished, and the surface is densely covered with waxy crystals .The scale-like leaf (adaxial surface ) has a wavy irregular epidermis with high density of anomocytic stomata embedded inside grooves .It has wavy crystalline and heavy papillae reticulate trichomes.Abaxial surface of scale -like leaf shows a regular epidermal cells with large numbers of open paracytic stomata .There are low density of hairy trichomes .
Authors: R. Harb, O. El- Kobisy, S. Desoukey
Institution: Cairo University
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W3204877656