Research Article

Epidermal structure and stomatal ontogeny in some species of indigofera (leguminosae - papilionaceae) from Nigeria

^*1Umar S, ²Fagwalawa LD, ³Kutama AS and ⁴Isah BI

¹Department of Biological Science, College of Arts, Science And Remedial Studies, Kano

²Department of Biology, Kano state University of science and technology, Wudil, Kano.

³Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, Nigeria

⁴Department of Biological Sciences, Nigeria Police Academy Wudil, Kano, Nigeria

*Corresponding Author Email: sharifumar80@gmail.com

Accepted 15 January 2014

Abstract

Epidermal and stomatal ontogeny study was undertaken in three species of the genus Indigofera in the sub family papilionaceae belonging to the Family Leguminosae (Fabaceae). Mature stomatal types ranged from paracytic and anisocytic stomata on both leaf surfaces with eumesogeneous and hemimesogeneous development in and Indigofera stenophylla Guill et. perr var. stenophylla and lndigofera numlarifolia L. Alston.. While Indigofera prieureana Guill et. Perr shows paracytic and anisocytic stomata on both leaf surfaces with eumesogeneous developmental pathway. I. prieureana shows wavy anticlinal cell wall while straight walls were observed in I. stenophylla and I. numularifolia .All the plants have unicellular unbranched trichomes except I. prieureana which have branched unicellular trichome. Stomatal measurements of length, pore size as well as frequencies also vary and may support the identification of these plants at specie level.

Keywords: Indigofera, Paracytic, anisocytic, ontogeny, trichome