Histology of medicinal plantsMansfield, William James
Science
Histology of medicinal plants
Mansfield, William James
Botany, Medical; Plant anatomy
Cystoliths occur, then, in special cavities, in parenchyma
cells (rubber-plant leaf, fig, pellionea, and mulberry), and in
non-glandular hairs (cannabis indica).
In powdered ruellia root the cystoliths occur in or are separated
from the parenchyma cells.
TESTS FOR CYSTOLITHS
When dilute hydrochloric acid or acetic acid is added to cystoliths a
brisk effervescence takes place with the evolution of carbon dioxide
gas.
Part III
HISTOLOGY OF ROOTS, RHIZOMES, STEMS,
BARKS, WOODS, FLOWERS, FRUITS,
AND SEEDS
In Part II the different types of cells and cell contents found in
plants have been studied. In Part III it will be shown how these
different cells are associated and the nature of the cell contents
in the different parts of the plant. These parts are the root, the
rhizome, the stem of herbs, bark and wood of woody stems, the leaf,
the flower, the fruit, and the seed.
CHAPTER I
ROOTS AND RHIZOMES
Some fifty-five roots, rhizomes, and rhizomes and roots are official
in the pharmacopœia and national formulary. About 5 of these are
obtained from monocotyledonous plants, and 50 from dicotyledonous
plants.
In studying the structure of roots and rhizomes, then, it must first
be determined whether the root in question is monocotyledonous or
dicotyledonous. This fact is ascertained by determining the type of
the fibro-vascular bundle. The bundle is of the open collateral type
in all rhizomes and roots obtained from monocotyledonous plants, but
it is closed, radial, or concentric in the monocotyledonous type.
In both of these groups the cellular plan of structure is similar,
the chief variation being the absence of one or more types of cells,
the variation in the amount, in arrangement, in the anatomical
structure, in the color, and in the cell contents of the individual
cells. These facts will be impressed on the mind while studying the
rhizomes and the roots.
CROSS-SECTION PINK ROOT
The cross-section of pink root (Plate 89) has the following structure:
=Epidermis.= The epidermal cells are small, nearly as long as broad,
and the outer wall is thicker and darker in color than the side and
inner walls. The cells usually contain air.
=Cortex.= The cortical parenchyma cells are very large and somewhat
rounded in outline, and the walls are white. There are about twelve
rows of these cells, and each cell contains numerous small, rounded
starch grains.
=Endodermis.= The endodermal cells are tangentially elongated, and
the walls are very thin and white. There are two or three layers of
endodermal cells; the cells’ outer layers are larger than the cells
of the inner layers.
[Illustration: PLATE 89
CROSS-SECTION OF ROOT OF SPIGELIA MARYLANDICA, L.
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