Leaf morphology and anatomy of Manilkara Adans. (Sapotaceae) from northeastern Brazil

• Published in: Plant systematics and evolution 2013, Vol.299 (1), p.1-9
• Main Authors: de Almeida-Jr., Eduardo Bezerra, Araújo, Josiane Silva, Santos-Filho, Francisco Soares, Zickel, Carmen Silvia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anatomy; Biological taxonomies; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Body regions; Cortex; Cuticles; Data collection; Epidermis; Leaf blade; Leaves; Life Sciences; Manilkara; Morphology; Original Article; Ovaries; Petioles; Plant Anatomy/Development; Plant Ecology; Plant Sciences; Plant Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography; Plants; Sheaths; Taxonomy; Vascular bundles
• ISSN: 0378-2697; 1615-6110; 2199-6881
• DOI: 10.1007/s00606-012-0697-2

Aiming to complement the group’s taxonomy, the objective of this work is to describe and characterise, searching for morpho-anatomical patterns, the leaf anatomy of the Manilkara species occurring in the northeast region of Brazil. The leaves of all Manilkara species were analysed, using herbaria specimens and collections made in the field by the authors. The characterisation of the leaf blades was performed according to the usual protocols in vegetal anatomy. As diagnosed by anatomical characters, the Manilkara Adans. genus presents petioles with a thick cuticle, a uniseriate epidermis, a sclerenchymatous sheath involving the vascular bundle, and laticifers on the cortical and medullar regions. The anatomical data increase the M. elata and M. huberi synonymisation and show the importance of the anatomy as a complementary tool to the taxonomy based on external morphology.