Anatomy of <I>Eugenia involucrata</I> DC. and <I>E. bracteata</I> Vell. (Myrtaceae)

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to: (i) anatomically describe leafs of E. involucrata DC and E. bracteata Vell., two species of Myrtaceae family; and (ii) recognize particular characters of their leaf architecture. For that, anatomical characteristics of the apical region of the petiole and the median region of the leaf blade were compared. Results showed that both species presented the vascular beam in form of opened arc at the level of the mesophyll, involved by a discontinuous esclerenchymatic sheath in the central ribbing region. However, the adaxial surfaces, that can be plane or furrowed, are different between species. The ratio of phloem in abaxial and adaxial surfaces is also different between the studied species. Other idiosyncratic characteristics between taxons are: the ratio in which palisade parenchyma occupy in the mesophyll (1/4 and 1/3 in the leaf blade of E. bracteata and E. involucrata, respectively). Different characteristics in the petiole are corresponding to the form of the adaxial surface, plane in E. bracteata and furrowed in E. involucrata. These characteristics were properly described for the two species and results were registered by photograph and discussed in an anatomical context.