Taxonomic Value of Leaf Lamina Anatomical Characteristics and Adaptation Towards Environment of Mangrove Plant Species (Rhizophoraceae)

Abstract

Leaf anatomical characteristics of eleven species of four genera in Rhizophoraceae family were examined. Apart from their peculiar morphological characters, this mangrove Rhizophoraceae have some uniqueness of leaf anatomical features which are very much related to their environment as these plants species grow in saline environments with regular tidal influence. Results have shown that the presence of hypodermis cells and mucilaginous idioblast cells, presence of cuticle layer and bundles sheath of parenchyma cells are similar in all species studied. One layer of epidermal cells is present in all species studied whilst two layers in Kandelia candel. The presence of sclereid and secretory cells in the leaf lamina of Rhizophora are diagnostic characters for this genus in this family. The types of sclereid cells in the leaf lamina of Rhizophora species studied are osteosclereid and astrosclereid. As a conclusion, this anatomy study has shown that specific anatomical characters are present in some mangrove species as an adaptation to the extreme environment and also have taxonomic value in genus differentiation.