Leaf Internal structure - Stomata surrounded by a limited

number of subsidiary cells which are

A. Epidermis
quite alike the remaining epidermal
- Compact, transparent, and usually
cells
not photosynthetic
 With numerous stomata(singular: Anisocytic(unequal celled)/Cruciferous
stoma)-intercellular spaces in the
- Stomata surrounded by three
epidermis
subsidiary cells of which one is
 Guard cells- surrounds the
smaller than the other two
stoma;
Monocots- dumbbell shaped Paracytic(parallel celled)/ Rubiaceous
Dicots- kidney shaped
- stomata surrounded by two
Function: regulate gas exchange by subsidiary cells which are parallel to
closing and opening the stomatal pore the longitudinal axis of the pore and
two guard cells
 Subsidiary cells- surrounds the
guard cells Diacytic (cross celled)/ Caryophyllaceous
Function: reservoir of water and
ions that enter and leave the - stomata surrounded by pair of
subsidiary cells whose common
guard cells
walls is at right angles to the guard
Types of guard cells cells

Actinocytic

-stomata are surrounded by four or

more subsidiary cells, elongated radially
to the stoma. Ex. Musaceae, Araceae,
Commelinaceae
Typical monocot epidermis and stomata
Cyclocytic

-stomata are surrounded by four or

more subsidiary cells arranged in a
narrow ring around the stomaEx.
Palmae, Pandanus, Cyclanthaceae

Classifications of stomata

 Bases: number and arrangement of

subsidiary cells

Anomocytic(irregularly celled)/ Ranunculaceous

 Horizontally oriented leaves - located above the abaxial epidermis

- more stomata in lower

epidermis(abaxial epidermis) than in
the exposed upper
epidermis(adaxial epidermis)
- e.g. Apple(Malus sylvestris), bean
(Phaseolus vulgaris), pumpkin
(Cucurbita pepo)

Vertically oriented leaves

- more or less equal number of

-
stomata on abaxial and adaxial Vertically oriented leaves
epidermis - Intercept light in all direction
- e.g. corn (Zea mays), Pine (Pinus - Exhibit uniform mesophyll cells
sylvestris), onion (Allium cepa) -not divided into palisade or
B. Ground Tissue spongy layer
- Also called the mesophyll layer  Kranz anatomy- uniform,
- Compose of several tissue types: chlorophyll cells + photosynthetic
 Sclerenchyma- mostly bundle sheath cells
sclereids  Important for C photosynthesis
 Storage parenchyma
 Chlorenchyma

Horizontally oriented leaves

 Intercept light only on one side of the

leaf
 Mesophyll layer divided into:
a. Palisade mesophyll
- Densely packed long columnar
chlorenchyma cells with large Corn leaf cross section showing bundle sheaths
amounts of chlorophyll associated with the kranz anatomy typical of C4
- Perform 90% of the leaf’s plants.
photosynthesis
- Specialized in light absorption and
carbon fixation of photosynthesis
- Located below the adaxial epidermis
b. spongy mesophyll
- aerenchyma tissue
- irregularly shaped cells separated by
large intercellular spaces connected
to the stomata
- specialized for gas exchange portion
of photosynthesis
 Leaf structural Variations:
Monocot leaves
Corn leaf bundle sheath
showing Kranz - Parallel veins interconnected by very
anatomy fine bundles (commissural bundles),
that run perpendicular to the large
vein
Corn leaf with the - Structural composition of veins
large bulliform cells in similar to dicots, with vascular
the epidermis that tissues, bundle sheath and bundle
may be involved with sheath extension
leaf rolling (sclerenchymatous)
- Sclerified leaf margins prevent
tearing
Veins

- Conduct water, minerals and food;

mechanically support the mesophyll
tissue
- (dicot) xylem located towards the
upper surface of the leaf; phloem
towards the lower surface
- With supportive tissue such as
collenchyma or sclerenchyma
- Surrounded by a layer of
parenchyma cells called bundle
sheath cells
 Midrid- the large central vein of a leaf

Leaf structural Variations

 Monocot leaves
- Long and strap shaped
- The leaf grow from a basal meristem
(new tissues are generated and are
pushed upward by cell division)
- Exhibit parallel type of venation