Comparative Leaf Epidermal Characteristics of Selected Species of the Family Brassicaceae in Kano, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67601/njbls.v3i2a.49Keywords:
Anisocytic stomata, Stomatal Index (SI), Leaf anatomy, Raphanus sativus, Brassica oleracea, NigeriaAbstract
Leaf epidermal features play an important role in plant identification and adaptation. In this study, the leaf epidermal characteristics of three members of the Brassicaceae family; Brassica oleracea var. capitata, Brassica oleracea var. botrytis, and Raphanus sativus, were examined, focusing on stomatal type, distribution, and some quantitative parameters. Epidermal peels were obtained from both adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces and observed under light microscope. All species showed anisocytic stomata on both leaf surfaces and were amphistomatic, with higher stomatal frequency on the abaxial surface. There were noticeable differences among the species in stomatal number, pore length, epidermal cell number, and stomatal index. The highest stomatal index on the lower surface was recorded in Raphanus sativus with 20.1%, and the least was recorded in Brassica oleracea var. botrytis with 12.28%. While the highest stomatal index on the upper surface was recorded in Raphanus sativus with 17.9%, and the least was recorded in Brassica oleracea var. botrytis with 8.18%. These results showed that epidermal features, especially quantitative ones, can be useful in distinguishing species and understanding their physiological behavior.
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