Anatomy of a Monocot leaf (Isobilateral leaf)

Anju Poudel
 Anatomy of a monocot leaf
 The internal structure of a monocot leaf shows following distinct
regions:
1. Epidermis:
2. Mesophyll tissue
3. Vascular bundle

Epidermis

Mesophyll

Epidermis

Anju Poudel Vascular bundles

Anatomy of a monocot leaf…
1. Epidermis:
 A single layered epidermis occurs on both upper and lower surfaces of
leaf.
 Both lower and upper epidermis is composed of compactly arranged, thin
walled, barrel shaped parenchymatous cells externally covered by cuticle.
 The upper and lower epidermis possess almost equal number of stomata
surrounded by dumbbell shaped guard cells.
 Some cells of upper epidermis are large and thin walled which are called
bulliform cells or motor cells that can store water when water is
available.
 Both the epidermis helps in protection of internal tissues, checks
transpiration, regulates gaseous exchange and folding of leaves during
drought with the help of bulliform cells.
Anju Poudel
Anju Poudel
Anatomy of a monocot leaf
2. Mesophyll tissue:
 It is the ground tissue that lies between two layers of epidermis.
 It is not differentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma.
 It is composed of large isodiametric oval or spherical thin walled cells
with large air cavities or intercellular spaces.
 The cells of mesophyll tissue contain chloroplasts and help in
photosynthesis.
3. Vascular bundle:
 Two types of vascular bundles are present- small and large.
 Smaller vascular bundles are abundant and larger one are found in
between them.
 Vascular bundles are conjoint, collateral and closed type.
Anju Poudel
 Anatomy of a monocot leaf….
 Each vascular bundle is surrounded by a parenchymatous bundle sheath
containing starch grains.
 Wide mid rib does not contain mesophyll tissue but sclerenchyma occurs
in patches inner to both upper and lower epidermis of large vascular
bundles.
 These sclerenchymatous patches provide mechanical support to the leaf.
Smaller vascular bundles lack these patches.
 Each vascular bundles contains xylem and phloem.
Xylem: Xylem consists of tracheids, vessels and xylem parenchyma. It is
located towards the upper epidermis. In smaller vascular bundles, xylem is
compact whereas in large vascular bundles, xylem has two large, pitted, oval,
lateral metaxylem vessels and one smaller spiral or annular oval protoxylem
vessels.
Phloem: Phloem consists of sieve tubes and companion cells. It is located
towards the lower epidermis.
Anju Poudel