Histology of medicinal plantsMansfield, William James
Science
Histology of medicinal plants
Mansfield, William James
Botany, Medical; Plant anatomy
In a perfect radial section (Plate 107, Fig. 2) the medullary rays
are seen as tiers of cells in contact throughout their long diameter,
and they run at right angles to the long diameter of the other cells.
This view of the rays shows the length and height of the medullary
ray. In logwood the rays are often forty cells high. In powdered
barks, woods (Plate 47), and woody roots the radial view of the
medullary rays is frequently diagnostic.
In guaiacum officianale wood the medullary rays are one cell wide on
cross-section, and up to six cells high on the tangential section.
In santalum album the rays are from one to three cells wide on
cross-section, and up to six cells high on tangential section. In the
greater number of plants the rays are more than one cell wide.
THE MEDULLARY RAY CELL
The =medullary ray cell= (Plate 48, Fig. 1) is one of the individual
cells making up the medullary ray bundle and the medullary ray.
The cross-sections of the cells which are seen in tangential sections
show the cells to be mostly circular in outline when they occur in
the central portion of medullary ray bundles of more than two cells
in width; but they are more irregular in outline when the medullary
ray bundle is only one cell wide. Even the cells of the three or more
cell-wide bundles have irregular, outlined cells at the ends of the
bundle and on the sides in contact with the other tissues.
The length and height of the medullary ray cell are shown in radial
sections; while the width and length of the medullary ray cells are
shown in cross-sections.
Structure of Cells
The structure of the individual cells forming the medullary rays
differs greatly in different plants, but is more or less constant in
structure in a given species.
The medullary rays of the wood usually have strongly pitted side and
end walls, while the medullary rays of most barks are not at all, or
only slightly, pitted. In most plants the cells are of nearly uniform
size. Frequently, however, the cells vary in size in a given ray, as
shown in the cross-section of kava-kava.
Arrangement of the Cells in a Ray
The union of any two cells in a ray is also of importance. In
quassia the medullary ray cells have oblique end walls, so that on
cross-section the line of union between two cells is an oblique
wall. In most plants the medullary ray cells have blunt or square or
oblique end walls, so that the line of union is a straight line.
In most plants the cells are much longer than broad, but the cells of
sassafras bark are nearly as broad as long.
The walls of the cortical medullary ray cells and the medullary rays
of most roots and stems of herbs are composed of cellulose; while
the walls of medullary ray cells occurring in woods are frequently
lignified.
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