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Variation Studies in Surface Micromorphology on Seed Coat and Endosperm of Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman:A Conservation Concern Species of India


Affiliations
1 C.V. Raman Laboratory of Ecological Informatics, Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management – Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581, India
2 PG and Research Department of Botany, Arignar Anna Government Arts and Science College, Villupuram 605 602, India
 

Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman is an endemic wild banana species of Western Ghats, northeastern hills of India and northern Thailand. The white powdery endosperms of the seeds are widely used to treat various human disorders. The present study examined the exomorphic characteristics of E. superbum seed coat and starch crystals of endosperm using scanning electron microscopy to highlight and document the surface ornamentation pattern of E. superbum grown at different locations. Interestingly, the size of seeds decreased with the increase in latitude from 8°N to 22°N and unveiled the phenotypic variation in genetic diversity of E. superbum in India. Information on macro and micromorphological variations of seed coat and endosperm of E. superbum has been reported for the first time in India.

Keywords

Cliff Banana, Ensete superbum, Endosperms, Medicinal Plant, Micromorphology.
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  • Variation Studies in Surface Micromorphology on Seed Coat and Endosperm of Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman:A Conservation Concern Species of India

Abstract Views: 339  |  PDF Views: 136

Authors

V. Saroj Kumar
C.V. Raman Laboratory of Ecological Informatics, Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management – Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581, India
R. Jaishanker
C.V. Raman Laboratory of Ecological Informatics, Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management – Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581, India
A. Annamalai
PG and Research Department of Botany, Arignar Anna Government Arts and Science College, Villupuram 605 602, India

Abstract


Ensete superbum (Roxb.) Cheesman is an endemic wild banana species of Western Ghats, northeastern hills of India and northern Thailand. The white powdery endosperms of the seeds are widely used to treat various human disorders. The present study examined the exomorphic characteristics of E. superbum seed coat and starch crystals of endosperm using scanning electron microscopy to highlight and document the surface ornamentation pattern of E. superbum grown at different locations. Interestingly, the size of seeds decreased with the increase in latitude from 8°N to 22°N and unveiled the phenotypic variation in genetic diversity of E. superbum in India. Information on macro and micromorphological variations of seed coat and endosperm of E. superbum has been reported for the first time in India.

Keywords


Cliff Banana, Ensete superbum, Endosperms, Medicinal Plant, Micromorphology.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv117%2Fi9%2F1531-1536