Taxonomic significance of the vegetative anatomy of members of genera Colocasia (L.) Schott and Xanthosoma (L.) Schott in the family Araceae

Abstract

Anatomical attributes are important for taxonomic studies of plants. This study investigated foliar and petiole anatomy of some members of the genera Colocasia and Xanthosoma. Similar and diagnostic characters critical for the taxonomy of the two genera were identified. The similar characters include, polygonal epidermal cell shape, straight adaxial anticlinal wall pattern, brachyparacytic stomata type, elliptic shaped stomata and unmodified raphide type. The presence of papillae on the adaxial surfaces of the members of genus Colocasia but not in the Xanthosoma taxa; lamellar collenchyma type in Xanthosoma mafaffa (Red), and unicellular non-glandular trichomes in Xanthosoma mafaffa (White) were recorded as diagnostic characters.

Wood micro-morphological characteristics of the Tribe Dalbergieae in Nigeria

“…Shreds of evidence from anatomical studies have been used for the delimitation of taxa as reported by Metcalfe and Chalk (1979); Aguoru and Okoli (2008), Arogundade and Adedeji (2019). Carlquist in 1961 had earlier submitted that wood anatomical characters are of taxonomic and phylogenetic importance, while more recently, Liu et al (2020) noted that anatomical properties of wood relate closely to several factors amongst which is their genetic origin.…”