The International journal of analytical and experimental modal analysis ISSN NO:0886-9367

Anatomical Studies of Tribulus rajasthanensis Bhandari &

Sharma (Zygophyllaceae)
Mahesh Pathak and Ganesh Kulkarni

JES College, Jalana, Dist. Jalana (MS) India

Abstract
Anatomy root, stem and leaf of Tribulus rajasthanensis Bhandari & Sharma have been
studied. The root and stem showed the presence of calcium oxalate crystals in cortex and pith
region, sclerenchymatous patch on outer side of vascular bundle. Leaf showed the presence
of small vascular bundles in the lamina and large curved vascular bundle in mid rib region.
Leaf showed the presence of anisocytic type of stomata and unicellular, uniseriate,
unbranched, conical and pointed trichomes with swollen base.

Key words: T. rajasthanensis, anatomy, trichome, stomata, calcium oxalate crystals

Introduction
Tribulus rajasthanensis Bhandari & Sharma belongs to family Zygophyllaceae,
commonly known as ‘Sarata’ in Marathi. Occasionally found on rocky soil. Prostrate herbs;
stem many from the woody rootstock, 30-60 cm long, pubescent. Leaves 2-5 cm long,
pinnantely compound; leaflet 5-7 pairs, 6-10 x 4-5 mm, mucronate, pubescent, densely silky
pubescent or villous beneath; petiole up to 1.5 cm long; stipules subulates 5-7 mm long,
acute, with scarious margins. Petals yellow, broadly obovate, 6-8 mm long; Style up to 3 mm
long. Fruits globose 12-14 mm in diameter, mericarps 5-6 mm long, with two divergent
spines.

Material and methods

The plant material was collected from foot hills of Gogaba hills of Aurangabad and
identified by using reliable literature Naik (1996) and Singh, et al., (2000). Root, stem and
leaves were stored in 4 % formalin and transverse sections were stained with safranin and
permanent preparation were made by adopting protocol Khandelwal (2005) and observed
under the microscope. For the epidermal studies upper and lower surface of the fresh leaf
were peeled out mechanically stained with safranin, mounted in glycerin and observed.
Maceration studies were carried out by using Jefry’s macerating fluid.

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The International journal of analytical and experimental modal analysis ISSN NO:0886-9367

Results and Discussion

T. S. of Stem
Epidermis single layered, parenchymatous, oval, compactly arranged without
intercellular spaces, covered by thick layered cuticle, ca. 10-30 x 7.5-10µm. Some cells of
epidermis developed into unicellular, uniseriate, unbranched trichomes, thick walled and
pointed at apex. Cortex is multilayered, parenchymatous, isodimetric, oval, thin walled and
having small intercellular spaces and calcium oxalate crystals, ca. 40-150 x 30-70 µm.
Endodermis is single layered, barrel shaped, compactly arranged without intercellular spaces.
Pericycle is multilayered, parenchymatous, containing sclerenchymatous patches; ca. 10-17.5
x 7.5-12.5 µm. Vascular bundles are present in single ring. Phloem elements compactly
arranged, small, polygonal in shape, ca. 5-12.5 x 5-10 µm. Xylem vessels circular in outline,
thick walled, ca. 30-70 x 25-60 µm. The sclerenchymatous patch is present at the top of each
vascular bundle. Pith present at the center, parenchymatous, wide, homogenous, thin walled,
isodiametric, oval inclosing small intercellular spaces and containing with calcium oxalate
crystals, ca. 80-160 x 60-150µm. In the nodal region leaf trace is separated from main
vascular cylinder by parenchymatous leaf gap.

T. S. of Root
Periderm multilayered, cells rectangular, thin walled, compactly arranged without
intercellular spaces, ca. 25-40 x 20-25µm. Cortex multilayered, parenchymatous, cells thin
walled, oval in shape, having small intercellular spaces, ca. 30-65 x 30-50 µm in diameter;
some cells contains with calcium oxalate crystals, while other contains red coloured resin.
Endodermis is single layered, barrel shaped, compactly arranged without intercellular spaces.
Pericycle is multilayered, parenchymatous and containing with sclerenchymatous patches.
Phloem elements are small, compactly arranged, ca. 10-17.5 x 7.5-10 µm; vessels elements
are radial, circular in outline, and in multiple of 2-4, ca. 50-100 x 50-90 µm. A
sclerenchymatous parch is present on outer side of each vascular bundle.

T. S. of Leaf
Upper epidermal cells are parenchymatous, polygonal, compactly arranged, without
intercellular spaces, ca. 10-17.5 x 10-12.5µm. Leaflet amphistomatic, stomata anisocytic
type. Lower epidermis single layered, parenchymatous, oval or barrel shaped, thin walled,

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The International journal of analytical and experimental modal analysis ISSN NO:0886-9367

compactly arranged without intercellular spaces, ca. 10-25 x 10-15µm. Trichomes present on
both upper and lower epidermis, unicellular, unbranched, conical, much longer, pointed at
apex with swollen base, thick walled, base surrounded by 5-6 adjoining epidermal cells in
rosette. Mesophyll cells differentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma in leaf lamina.
Below the upper epidermis palisade cells is single layered, elongated, and compactly
arranged with their long axis at the right angle epidermis. Spongy mesophyll cells
parenchymatous, isodiametric and oval, thin walled, having small intercellular spaces, ca. 20-
30.5 x 15-20µm. Palisade parenchyma is ca. 10-20 x 40-70 µm. Vascular bundle small,
conjoint, collateral closed run parallel in lamina. Mid rib consists of only parenchyma cells,
isodiametric, oval, thin walled, having small intercellular spaces, ca. 25-65 x 20-40 µm;
Vascular bundle in midrib is large, curved and present in center.

Epidermal features

Trichomes are present on abaxial and adaxial epidermis of the leaf, which are
unicellular, unbranched, conical and much longer, pointed at apex, swollen at base,
thick walled, base are surrounded by 5-6 adjoining epidermal cells in rosette.
Trichomes are much more confined on lower surface than upper one; trichomes on the
upper surface are shorter and broader than the lower surface which was longer and
thin. The average length of trichomes on upper surface, ca. 150-250 x 10-15µm,
whereas on lower surface, ca, 250-1050 x 20-30µm.
Leaflet amphistomatic, stomata anisocytic type, small, 1 to 2 cells apart. Guard
cells measured about, ca. 30-40 x 7.5-10 µm in size; stomatal pore is small, measured
about, ca. 5-7.5 µm in size.

Conclusion
Anatomical and epidermal features are the species specific which can be useful in the
elimination of the taxa.

Acknowledgement

Authors are grateful to principal of JES College, Jalana for providing laboratory
facilities.

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References
Khandelwal, K. R. (2005). Practical pharmacognosy technique and experiments (14th
Ed.), Nirali Prakashan, Pune. Pp- 146.
Naik, V. N. (1998). Flora of Marathwada Vol. I, Ranunculaceae to Convalvulaceae,
Amrut Prakashan. Pp- 181-183.

Singh, N. P., Karthikeyan, Lakshminarsimhan P. and Prassana (2000), Flora of

Maharashtra, Vol. I., Boatanical Survey of India. Pp- 425-430.

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