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MORPHOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL

STUDIES ON THE WHITE MANGROVE


[AVICENNIA OFFICINALIS L.]

Dissertation submitted to the Mahathma Gandhi University, Kottayam,


in partial fulfillment for the Degree of Bachelor in Science.

By,

DIVYAMOL.P.K
Reg No: 351123

Department Of Botany,
Sacred Heart College,
Thevara,
Kochi-682013.

2006-2009
CONTENTS

1. Introduction and Review of Literature

2. Materials and Method

3. Observation and Discussion

4. Summary

5. Plates

6. References
CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the dissertation entitled “Morophological and


Anatomical studies on the white mangrove [Avicenna Officinal is L.]. Submitted
here with contain the results of bonafied project work carried out by
Miss. Divyamol P K, under my supervision. This dissertation is submitted in
partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award for the degree of Bachelor of
Science (Botany) to M.G. University.

Thevara Dr. M.S. Francis


February 2009 Supervising Teacher
Department of Botany
Sacred Heart College
Thevara
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am grateful & deeply indebted to Dr. M.S. Francis Department of Botany, S.H.
College, Thevara, for his sustained guidance and encouragement throughout the course of
my project work & for providing all the necessary facilities for this work.

I extant my grateful to Dr. V.J. Dominic, Head of the Department of Botany, S.H.
College, Thevara, for providing all the facilities necessary for this work. I wish to
acknowledge the authorities of Library of college facilities and timely help.

I also sincerely thank all the teaching staff and non touching staff of the
Department of Botany who helped me during different stages of this work. My sincere
thanks to all my friends, who have helped me in this attempt in one way to other.

Thevara, Divyamol P.K


February 2009 Reg No: 351123
Chapter: 1

INTRODUCTION & REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Mangrove is a West Indian name given to formation of trees and shrubs


inhabiting the coasts and river estuaries of tropical or subtropical seas. Plants
occurring in mangrove vegetation belong to several families. The term mangrove
is derived from Portuguese and English words Viz “Mangue” in Portugal where as
the community of trees and the bushes are known as ‘grove’ in English. The
mangroves may be defined as the coastal tropical forest formation encircled or
spread over by the tidal rivers or the seawater, flooded or bathed frequently.

Mangrove plants and the mangrove ecosystem or the mangal in totality are
most important in the perspectives of its economic potentialities, as mangroves
provide ideal habitats for economic species of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs and
good number of threatened, rare and endemic but most important species of
aquatic and terrestrial fauna. All these coastal or estuarine vegetation along with
its dense growth and wide spreading habitat. Play physical support and protective
role in these fragile coastal estuarine zones in the tropical and subtropical
countries in the globe; in general and in the Indian mangals in particular Bio-mass
from the mangrove plants continuously supply nutrients to coastal, estuarine and
offshore aquatic environment resulted healthy environment and also raised or
maintained productivity of the important water phases. Besides these mangrove
timber and mangrove wood have immense value in carpentry work and as fuel
wood to the rural people of Sundarbans (Naskar, 2002).

Mangrove plants are very commonly found on some saline soils of


Indogangetic plains in Western India, near the sea coasts of Mumbai and Kerala,
in the banks of Gaumati and Godavari in South India, particularly in the region
where rivers meet the ocean and in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Mangrove forests grow near the estuaries or the deltas of rivers, swampy
margins of Islands and along sea coasts. The soil is formed of silt, silt–loam or silt–
clay and sand. The plants are typical halophytes which are characterized by
presence of prop roots with well developed lines for support and
pneumatophores and viviparous germination of seeds. Mangrove forests one
distinguished into the following four types with over tapping constituent species
(Shukla and Chandel, 1972)

1. Tree mangrove forest


2. Law mangrove forest
3. Salt water forest
4. Brakish water forest

I. Tree mangrove forest:- These forests occur on both east and west sea
coasts of India. The best development occurs in Sundarbans. The forest floor
is flooded with salt water daily. Plants may attain a height 10-15 m. and form
an almost closed evergreen forests. The common trees of these forests are
Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora conjugata, Avicennia alba, Brugaiera
conjugata, Brugaiera parviflora etc.
II. Low mangrove forests: - These forests grow on salt tidal mud near
estuaries, which is flooded by salt water. Forest is dense but the trees with
leathery leaves attain maximum height of 3-6m. The vegetation consists of a
few species which show gregarious growth habit. Important tree species are
Ceriops decandra, Avicennia alba, Aegialitis rotandifolia etc.

III. Salt water mangrove forest:- These forests occur beyond tree mangrove
forest in big river deltas where the ground is flooded with tidal water. Silt
deposition and salt content in soil are low. Tree height is up to 2m but girth is
not large. Forests are dense. Pneumatophores are common. The common
plants are Heriticera minor, Excoecaria agallocha, Ceriops decanura etc.

IV. Brakish water mangrove forest:- They grow near the river deltas where
forest floor is flooded with water at least for sometimes daily. Water is
brakish but during rains it is nearly fresh, tree height may reach around 30m.
Forest is dense common species of the forest are Heriteria minor,
Xylocarpus molluccensis, Avicennia officinalis, Sonneratia caseolaris ,
Sonneratia acida etc.

The ecological conditions which are essential for the development of


mangrove vegetation.
I. Shallow water with thick mud.
II. Water logged saline soil or sandy or loose soil or heavy clay containing
large amount of organic matter.
III. High rainfall.
IV. High humidity in the atmosphere and cloudy weather.

GENERAL CHARACTERS OF MANGROVE

Habit: -

A great majority of halophytes in the tropical and subtropical regions are shrubs,
but a few of them are herbaceous, for example, Acanthus ilicifolius. In temperate
zones, halophytic vegetation is purely herbaceous. The shrubs are generally dom
shaped in appearance because of their Cymose branching.
EXTERNAL MORPHOLOGY

Stem: -

Stem in several halophytes develops succulence. Salicornia herbacia and Suaeda


maritime may be quoted as familiar examples for it. According to Arnold,
succulents depends on the ratio of absorbed to free ions in the plant cells rather
than absolute amount of Sodium chloride or Sulphate is present. Succulence is
induced only after the accumulation of free ions in an organ increase above a
critical level. Salinity inhibits the cell division and stimulates cell elongation. Such
effects cause decrease in the cell number and increase in cell size, so typical of
succulence is directly correlated with salt tolerance of plants and the degree of
their development can serve as an indicator of the ability of plants to survive in
highly saline habitats. The temperate halophytes are herbaceous, but the tropical
ones are mostly bushy and show dense Cymose branching. Submerged marine
angiosperms are among the very few species of halophytes that do not become
succulent (Shukla and Chandel, 1972).

Leaves: - The leaves in most of the halophytes are thick, entire, succulent,
generally small – sized, and are often glassy in appearance. Some species are
aphyllous. Stems and leaves of coastal aero halophytes show additional mode of
adaptation to their habitats. Their surfaces are densely covered with trichomes.
Leaves of submerged marine halophytes are thin and have very poorly
developed vascular system and frequently green epidermis. They are adapted to
absorb water and nutrients from the medium directly.

Fruits, Seeds and their germination:-

The fruits and seeds are generally light in weight. Fruit walls have a
number of air chambers and the fruits, seeds and seedlings, which can float on
the water surface for pretty long time, are dispersed to distant places by water
current. Mangrove vegetations of tropical seashores from Australia to East Africa
include approximately the same species of plants. Similarly, the mangrove of
West Asia show considerable resemblances with those of East Asia and East
Africa. It is due in part, to the fact that medium and temperature remain uniform
throughout and partially due to the efficient means of dispersal or migration of
plants.

Viviparous mode of seed germination:-

Halophytes or mangrove plants growing in the tidal marshes are met with the
phenomenon of vivipary. Which is defined as the germination of seeds while the
fruits are still attached to mother plants.
Anatomical Features

The appearance and structures which characterize contain groups of plants


sum up to a great extent their ecological and physiological means of adaptation.
Halophytes are no exception to this rule because of specific and typical structural
characteristics, which make them distinguishable, form other groups of plants.
These are. (Pandey, 1981)

1. Large cells and small intercellular spaces.


2. High elasticity of the cell walls.
3. Extensive development of water storing tissues.
4. Smaller relative surface area.
5. Small and fewer stomata.
6. Low chlorophyll contest.

Anatomy of Halophytes Reveals a Number of Xerophytic Feature in Them. These


are follows:-

I. Presence of thick cuticle on the aerial parts of the plant body. The epidermis
of xerosucculents and coastal halophytes is characterized by a cover of waxy
layers in addition to thick cuticle.
II. Leaves may be dorsiventral or Isobilateral. They develop protected stomata
which are not deeply sunken. Epidermal cells are thin walled. The palisade
consists of several layers of narrow cells with intercalated tannin and oil cells.

III. Stems in the succulent plants posses thin – walled water storing parenchyma
cells in them. Mucilage cells may be found in abundance. Epidermal cells of
various mangrove species contain large quantities of tannins and oil droplets.
Cortex is fleshy, several cells thick and old stems it may become lacunar.
Salinity causes extensive lignifications of stele.

IV. The leaves and stems of coastal halophytes are abundantly covered with
various types of simple and branched trichomes giving the plants a grayish
appearance. The trichomes may play a positive role.
a. Reducing water economy.
b. Reducing the temperature of their leaves and
c. Preventing seawater droplets from reaching the live tissue of leaves.

V. Leaves of many species of mangrove are dotted with local cork formation
‘cork warts’ salt secreting glands and aqueous tissue may be found in some
halophytes (Shukla & Chandel, 1978).

Objectives of the present study


 To study the morphological characters of Avicennia officinalis L.
 To study the anatomical characters of the leaf and stem.
 To identify the peculiar morphological & anatomical characters present in
Avicennia officinalis L.

Chapter: 2

Materials & Methods

Specimen for the present study was collected from Kumbalanghi. It is an


Island. This small naturally beautiful Island has pockets of mangrove vegetation
(Fig: ). Rich growth of mangrove was observed in certain regions. Plant specimens
were collected & photographs were taken for the identification. Section of stem,
leaf & petiole were taken for the anatomical study. Photographs were taken.

Immediately after collection, the plant materials were put in a plastic bag.
The specimens were cut into pieces of convenient size & preserved in F.A.A. the
date and time of collection, Name of the plant family, plant size, flower character,
ecological conditions, Morphological characters & Anatomical characters were
noted.
The sections taken from the plant were washed well. The sections were
stained in aqueous safranin and mounted in glycerin. The preparations were
observed under the compound microscope.

From a proper section of a plant all the peculiarities were noticed. Along
with place, date, binomial of concerned plant, Family, growth & Anatomical
features were recorded. A comparison was made between the two species
regarding the histology of the primary and secondary anatomical structures. Then
the similarities and contrast between the two plants were noted.

Chapter: 3

Observation & Discussion

Avicenna Officinalis L.

Common Name : White mangrove

Local Name : Uppatha


Family : Verbenaceae / Avicenniaceae

Avicenniaceae is the important mangrove family in India. Under this family


there is only one genus, ‘Avicennia L.’ along with its 3 species & one variety
common in India.

1. Avicennia officinalis L.
2. Avicennia alba Blume.
3. Avicennia marina Var.

Distribution: - It is distributed throughout the tropical & subtropical region. Very


common in the inter tidal zones.

Habit: - Evergreen, Medium to tall tree attain the height between 15m – 20 m.
[Plate 1; Fig: 2]
External Morphology

Stem: - Bark smooth, whitish, much branched, deliquescent, irregularly spreading


branches; gregariously grow in the intertidal forest.

Roots: -

Conspicuous, negatively geotropic aerial roots – pneumatophores or breathing


roots are present. They are numerous, erect pencil like, without any secondary
growth, attain the height unto 0.30 cm pneumatophore develop in the inter–tidal
flat ground; developed from the surface spreading underground horizontal roots.
Frequently branches of stilts roots developed from the trunk base in stressed
condition and when the tree bents on one side.

Leaves: -

Simple, opposite decussate, exstipulate, cauline, petiolate, petiole 1.5cm long.


Green glaberous, pulvinous, lamina elliptic obovate, broadly ovate / obovate,
entire, round apex, slightly fleshy, dorsiventral, dorsal side dark green, shining,
unicostate venation, leaf turing black on drying. Leaves contain salt secreting
glands.

[Plate 2; Fig 2]

Inflorescence:-
Cyme compound spikes, peduncle unto 25cm long [Plate 1; Fig: 3]

Flower: - Flower buds glabrous, round brown, flowers zygomorphic, complete,


bisexual, regular, cyclic, rosaceous, sessile, dull yellow, 0.8cm x 1.5 cm across,
slightly foetied with 10-12 flower in each branch.

Calyx: - Sepals are 5, polysepalous

Corolla: - Petals are 4, gamopetalous

Androecium: - Stamens 4, epipetalous, filament 0.20 cm long

Gynoecium:- Ovary superior, 0.7cm long.

Fruit: - Capsule fleshy, ovoid, opaque, green, densely hairy 3cm long & 2.8 cm
broad, flattened with a short apical beak. [Plate 1; Fig:4]

Seed: - Simple, dark green, completely occupy the fruit cavity


Pneumatophore:- Avicennia have pencil like upto 30cm high slender negatively
geotropic air breathing roots, the pneumatophores occasionally form slender stilt
roots from the trunk bases. Pneumatophores of these members of Avicennia L.
have no secondary growth; small pores are scatteredly present on the surface of
these aerial roots for performing effective root zone respiration in this compact
inter-tidal saline soil. Sometimes the fibrous 0.5 cm – 1 cm diameter [Plate 1; Fig:
5,6].

Seed Germination: - Seeds of the Avicennia sp. germinate soon after their fruits
fall from the mother plant. In this case, their fruits mature in the mother plant
itself and develop the seeds to their optimum condition for effective germination.
This phenomenon is known as pseudoviviparous or incipient viviparous seed
germination. (Naskar, 2002).

Anatomical Features

Leaves: -

Leaves may be dorsiventral. Thin walled epidermal cells are present in the upper
epidermis, and it is covered by cuticle. They develop protected stomata, which are
not deeply sunken. Epidermal cell contain oil drops and Tannin cells. Palisade
tissue is present it contain mucilage cells. Below the palisade tissue spongy tissue
is present. Lower epidermis is single layered and it is covered by cuticle. The
leaves covered with various types of simple and branched trichomes. It gives the
grayish appearance and it has protective function. Salt secreting glands are also
present in the leaves. The glands have one or two basal collecting cells. One or two
stalk cells and a number of radially arranged secretary cells, which are covered
with a thin cuticle layer. [Plate 2; Fig: 2]

Stem:-

Single layer of epidermis and it is covered by thick cuticle. Below the epidermis
one or two layers for Hypodermis is present. The outer cortexes contain tannin
cells. Cortex contain thick walled cells. Inner cortex contain sclerids endodermis is
single layered. Pericycle is multilayered. Below the pericycle, vascular bundles are
present. Xylem conjoint and collateral. Vascular bundle with endarch xylem.
Tannin cells and oil drops are also present in the inner pith. Trichomes are
present. The branched trichomes giving the plants a greyish appearance. The
trichomes may exert, affecting water economy, affecting the temperature of their
leaves and preventing sea water droplets from reaching the live tissue of leaves.

[Plate 2; Fig: 4, 5, 6]

Petiole:-

The epidermis of the petiole resembles that of the corresponding surface of the
lamina except that there are no glands or stomata on the underside. The
parenchymatous ground tissue contains scattered mechanical cells bearing a
lignified thickening, which is reticulately pitted, the pits being sometimes so large
that the thickening is reduced to a network of narrow strands. Well-developed
lacuna occurs at the sides of the petiole. The vascular system is traced from the
stem. At the node the bundles lying adjacent to the base of the petiole passon
masse into the petiole. A small group of bundles is derived from further round the
stem on either side. The intervening vascular tissue forms the axillary bud traces.
A relatively large bundle group is derived from still further round the stem on
either side. The vascular tissue, with the exception of a small part of each of the
larger subsidiary groups assembles about the central ground tissue of the petiole.
The central ground tissue of the petiole includes numerous small bundles of
phloem, the larger of which have a small quantity of xylem associated with them.
These are embedded in rows shortly elongated parenchyma. Phloem consists of
numerous small sieve tubes and companion cells. Cambium is fascicular only. The
depression at the base of the petiole is fringed with simple filamentous hairs
composed of three or four cells lined with shorter hairs of the same type
intermingled with glandular hairs much larger than those in the lamina. The stalk
and foot of each gland is unicellular. [Plate 2; Fig 7,8]

The anatomical observations showed four common features in mangrove plants.

I. Colorless water storage tissue.


II. Short terminal trenches at vain endings.
III. Absence of sclerotic bundle sheath.
IV. Sclerids of various shapes.
Considerably thick cuticles are present on the epidermal layers of
mangrove taxa, which also restricts non stomatal water loss. Due to the presence
of colourless water storage tissue at different levels of mesophyll and hypodermal
layers, many leaves become thick and succulent, which can be correlated with the
extra water storage capacity (Vasishta, 1978)
Comparison of Morphological Characters

Avicennia officinalis General Features


1 Colour of plant White in colour Green in colour
2 Stilt root The stilt root is poorly The stilt root may be
developed strong and extensively
developed.
3 Pneumatophore Present Present
4 Fruit Flattened with apical Apical beak is absent in
beak up to 3cm long most species
and 2.8cm width
5 Germination Crypto-viviparous Viviparous germination
seedling germination
Comparison of leaf anatomy

General Features Avicennia officinalis

1. Cuticle is very well developed Cuticle is thick


2. Epidermal cells are heavily thickened Epidermal cells are thickened
Stomata, confined only to lower surface Stomata are present in the lower
3.
and sunken epidermis.

4. Mesophyll is well differentiated into Palisade tissue is seen beneath the


palisade and spongy tissue water storage region. Then comes
spongy tissue
5. Salt gland may be present. Salt gland present on upper
epidermis, which excrete excess
salt.

Comparison of stem anatomy

General Features Avicennia officinalis

1. Cuticle is thick Cuticle is thick


2. Epidermal cells are heavily thickened Epidermal cells are thickened
Primary cortex is lacunar, filled with Cortex is collenchymatous
3.
tannin, and oil
4. Pericycle is several layered, Pericycle is a composite and
sclerenchymatous. continuous ring.
Two types of leaf hairs occur in some species glandular (salt secreting
glands) and non-glandular. The glandular hairs are present on both the abaxial
and adaxial surface in Acanthus illicifolius and Avicennia, but are totally absent in
the rest of the species. The non-glandular hairs develop only on the abxial surface
in Avicennia species and Acanthus. The present study confirms the above
observation (Vasishta, 1978).

The glandular hairs have one or basal collecting cells. One or two stalk cells
and a number of radially arranged secretory cell, which are covered with a thin
cuticle layer. Non-glandular hairs have a multicellular sclerotic body. Which
distally produce a shield, like expanse of thin walled cells or branched star-like
cells in Heritiera or unbanched filamentous body in Avicennia (Vasishta, 1978).

Guard cell has cuticular beak like outgrowth (ledges) on either the outer
side of both outer and inner side of the stomatal pore in Acanthus and
Rhizophora. Stomata are usually restricted to the abaxial surface of dorsiventral
leaves and are scattered throughout the lamina. The hypodermis is composed of
one or more layers of colourless cells below the adaxial epidermis. These
colourless cells often function as water storage tissue. Two types of hypodermis
have been distinguished based upon the number of hypodermal layers.

1. Hypodermis is one layered, below the adaxial epidermis cells are polygonal,
cubical or narrow and sometime extensively vertically elongated in Acanthus.

2. Hypodermis is more than two layered, cells are cubical or polygonal in


Transverse section larger than epidermal cells, in Avicennia and Rhyophora.
The mesophyll is composed of thin called chlorenchymatous cells and is well
differentiated in the dorsiventral leaf into one or more layers of adaxial
anticlinally extended palisade cells & oval or round shaped compact or loose
abaxial is diametric cells in Acanthus, Avicennia and Rhizophora (Vasishta,
1978). Similar observations are made in the present study.
SUMMARY
Mangrove plants and the mangrove ecosystem or the mangal in totality are
most important in the perspectives of its economic potentialities, as mangroves
provide ideal habitats for economic species of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs and
good number of threatened, rare and endemic, but most important species of
aquatic and terrestrial fauna. The plants are typical halophytes which are
characterized by presence of prop roots with welll developed knees for support
and pneumatophores and viviparous germination of seeds.

Avicennia is the important mangrove plant belonging to the family


verbenaceae and it is commonly known as ‘White mangrove’. It is evergreen,
medium to tall tree, attain the height between 15m-20m.

In Avicennia officinalis L. stem is smooth, whitish much branched,


deliquescent, irregularly spreading branches. Leaves are simple, opposite,
exstipulate, petiolate, green glaberous, dorsiventral. Leaves also contain salt
secreting gland. Anatomical features on Avicennia officinalis are, stem contain
single layer of epidermis, multilayered hypodermis. Cortex contains tannin cells
and sclerids. Single layered endodermis and multilayered pericycle. Xylem is
endarch. Trichomes are present. Leaves are dorisventral. Thin walled epidermis
with cuticle. Palisade tissues contain mucilage cells. Below the palisade tissue
spongy tissue are seen. Lower epidermis is single layered and covered by cuticle.
Stomata is present but which are not deeply sunken. Salt secreting glands and
trichomes are also present. Petiole also contain trichomes.
The anatomical observations showed common features in mangrove plants:
1. Colourless water storage tissue
2. Short terminal trachieds at vain endings
3. Absence of sclerotic bundle sheath
4. Presence of various shape sclerids
5. Presence of thick cuticle
6. Presence of tannin cells
7. Stomata are present but which are not deeply sunken
However salt secreting gland present in leaves and stem are the unique
features of the plant. The stomata are also not sunken much. The most
important feature of this plant is absence of true vivipary. The fruits fall down
and germinate there after.
References

Eames A.J (1961) Morphology of angiosperms, New york : Mc Graw Hill.

Naskar.K (2002) Manual of Indian mangroves, Daya publishing House, New Delhi.

Pandey B.P (1981) A Text book of botany Angiosperms, S.chand & company Ltd,
New Delhi.

Shukla R.S and Chandel P.S (1972) Plant ecology, S.chand & company Ltd, New
Delhi.

Vasishta P.C (1978) A text book of plant anatomy, Messrs Pradeep publication.
PLATE 1

Figure 1: Mangrove vegetation in Kumbalangi


Figure 2: Habit- Avicennia officinalis. L
Figure 3: Inflorescence
Figure 4: Pneumatophore habit
Figure 5: Pneumatophore
PLATE 2

T.S of leaves- Avicennia officinalis.L


Figure 1: Hair
Figure 2: Gland
Figure 3: Trichome
Figure 4: T.S of stem Avicennia officinalis.L
Figure 5: T.S of stem Avicennia officinalis.L enlarged
Figure 6: Hair
Figure 7: T.S of petiole Avicennia officinalis.L
Figure 8: Hair

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