Leaf Epidermis and Taxonomy in Rhizophoraceae

Taxonomic significance of the leaf epidermis of five species of Rhizophoraceae has been brought out in the present study. The mangrove members (Rhizophora apicuiata, R. mucronata, Ceriops decandra, Bruguiera cyclindrica) and non-mangrove member (Carallia integerrima) are found to exhibit a number of similar characters. However, the non-mangrove species differs from the mangrove members in the following features: (1) Stomata of small size, (2) Mesoperigenous origin of aniso-and tetracytic stomata, (3) Absence of peri stomatal rim, (4) Absence of inner cuticular ledges, (5) Guard cells seated over the under-arched subsidiary cells, (6) Absence of hypodermis and (7) presence of idioblasts. Evidences from stipular morphology, embryology, wood anatomy, chemical charaters, seed coat anatomy and leaf epidermis suggest the placement of mangroves under Rhizophoraceae and the non-mangroves under Anisophylleaceae and Legnotideaceae.