ANATOMICAL ASPECTS OF THE STEM AND LEAF OF

SENECIO GRANDIDENTATUS LEDEB. (ASTERACEAE)

LORELEY DANA JIANU1, RODICA BERCU2, RAZVAN DAN POPOVICIU2
1
UNIUNEA PRACTICIENILOR DE PROTECŢIA MEDIULUI DIN ROMANIA
2
FACULTY OF NATURAL AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
”OVIDIUS” UNIVERSITY, CONSTANTZA

ABSTRACT
The paper presents anatomical aspects of the stem and leaf of an endengered plant,
growing on sandy coastal beaches and loessoid sea-cliffs Senecio grandidentatus Ledeb. It was
observed that the root has a secondary structure, due to the phelogen and cambium activity, The
stem has a one-layered epidermis, covered by cuticle, a differentiated cortex and a large number
of collateral vascular bundles, most of them with xylem secondary structure due to the cambium
activity. The leaf has a homogenous mesophyll and is amphistomatic. Long and densly non
glandular hairs are present in the stem and leaf. The mechanical tissue is represented by
sclerenchymatous fibers and tangential collenchyma in the in the stem and collenchyma tissue in
the leaf.

Key words: anatomy, endagered, stem, leaf, Senecio grandidentatus

INTRODUCTION
Senecio grandidentatus Ledeb. (syn. Jacobaea
erucifolia subsp. arenaria (Soó) B.Nord. & Greuter)
(Alexey and Suslova, 2007) is an endengered (Oprea,
2005) or a critic endengered species, at risk of extinction
in the near future about other authors, growing on clay
or sandy coastal sea-shore near beaches, moderately
moist soils and modrat content of nitrogen. It is a
heliophylous of temperate zone plant. In Romania is a
rare plant, its chorology in the past shown its presence in
Constanţa and Tulcea Counties between Eforie Nord and
Eforie Sud, Tuzla, Techirghiol–Movilă, the ancient city
Histria, Macin–Tulcea) (Oprea, 2005, Dihoru and
Negrean, 2009). The plant is densely hairy and gray with
simple pinatifid leaves and denticulate lobes (aprox. 10
mm). The leaves of the basal rosette have petioles,
cauline (stem) leaves are sessile and both are deeply
lobed and alternate.The yellow ligulate flowers are
grouped in laxity corimbiform inflorescences. The fruit Fig. 1. Natural view of Senecio
are hairy achenes (Fig. 1). In other countries the plant grandidentatus Ledeb. (original).
ecology differs, being common on the halophile
meadows (Dihoru and Negrean, 2009; Munz and Keck, 1973).

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 Few data are known about this species anatomy, most of researches are taxonomic and
chorological such as those of Dihoru and Negrean (2009); Lotfi et al. (2010); Greuter and Raab-
Straube (2006). The purpose of this paper is to highlight the some anatomical features of Senecio
grandidentatus and to contribute with more information to the knowledge concerning this taxon.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Due to the degree of endangerment of this species, in the anatomical study we used only
vegetative organ pieces taken from a vigorous plant, without taken the whole plant. The plant
belongs of the small population found by us, in may 2014, placed between Vama Veche – 2 Mai
(Constantza County) loessoid sea-cliffs on the Romanian Black Sea shore. Pieces stem and leaf
were fixed in FAA (formalin: glacial acetic acid: alcohol 5:5:90). The cross sections of the upper
part of the stem and the cauline leaf were performed by the free hand made technique (Bercu and
Jianu, 2003). The samples were stained with alum-carmine and iodine green. Anatomical
observations and micrographs were performed with a BIOROM–T bright field microscope,
equipped with a TOPICA 6001A video camera.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Cross section of the stem, in the superior part, discloses a circular-coasted shape with 6-7
prominent ridges (Fig. 1). The unistratous epidermis is represented by slightly tangentially
elongated cells with thik internal and external walls, the latest covered by a thck striated cuticle.
The epidermis continuity is broken by the present of stomata and densly uniseriate long
(7-8 cells) non glansular hairs (Fig. 2, B). The hipodermis consists of 4-5 layers of cells between
the ridges which alternate with tangential collenchyma, developed in ridges. Bellow the
hipodermis is the inner cortex represented by a parenchyma tissue, more reduced in front of the
stele vascular bundles. The primary endodermis is an amiliferous sheath. In the perphloem zone
groups of peryclcle fibers are present.

Fig. 1. Cross section of the stem – ensamble: c- cortex, e- epidermis, pi- pith, vb- vascular
bundle.

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 The vascular system is represented by 19-20 open and collateral bundles separated by
more or less sclerified pith rays in xylem yone and cellulosic in the phloem region. The xylem
has mostly a secondary structure due to the cambium activity, but some primary bundles are
present as well. The phloem comparated to xylem is redused and is composed of phloem vessels,
companion cells and phloem parenchyma.
Groups of sclerenchyma cells are present as well bellow the phloem (Fig. 2, A; Fig. 3 A).
The central part of the stem is occupied by the pith, composed of large parenchymatous
cells with intercellular spaces (Fig. 3, B).

B
Fig. 2. Cros section of the stem with epidermis and cortex (A). Portion of epidermis with non
glandular hairs (B): cb- cambium, chl- chlorenchyma, co- collenchymam, e- epidermis, h- hair,
ic- inner coretx, pf- pericycle fibers, ph- phloem.

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 A

B
Fig. 3. Cross sections of the stem. A stele vascular bundle (A). Medular portion (B): ed-
endodermis, ph- phloem, scl- sclerenchyma, xv- xylem vessel, fl- floem, scl- sclerenchim, vx-
vase de xilem.

Cross section of the leaf exhibits the upper epidermis such as the lower one are
represented by a single layer of cells. However the lower epidermal cells are smaller than the
upper one. The both epidermes cells are slightly elongated covered by a thick cuticle. The upper
epidermal cells are larger in between the veins areas (Fig. 4, B). Both epidermes are interrupted
by the presence of stomata (amphistomatic blade) and non glandular hairs the latest the same as

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those of the stem. The non hlandular hairs are anundant to the lower epidermis and in the mid rib
area (Fig. 4, A).

B
Fig. 4. Cross sections of the leaf. Ensemble (A). Portion with mesophyll (B): h- hairs, le- lower
epidermis, mr- mid rib, ms- mesophyll, st- spongy tissue, pt- palisade tissue, sv- secondary vein,
ue- upper epidermis, vb- vascular bundle.

The mesophyll is differentiated into one layered palisade tissue and spongy tissue in rest. The
mid rib is prominent to the lower epidermis with 4-5 ridges where the mid rib vascular bundles
are present (Fig. 4, A, B). Between the epidermes and the mid rib a collenchyma tissue is
present. It is well developed to the lower epidermis and reduced to the upper epidermis. A more

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or less collenchymatous sheat surrounds the vascular bundles. The vascular bundles of the
secondary veins are protected by a parenchyma sheath with large cells and chloroplasts (Fig. 5).

Fig. 5. A vascular bundle of the mid rib in cross section.

CONCLUSIONS
The stem possesses a differentiated cortex represented by a tangential collenchyma in the
ridges and a chlorenchyma in the rest. An amilipherous sheath is present as well. The vascular
system is represented by numerous vascular collateral bundles with secoundary xylem, separated
by sclerified and cellulosic pith rays.
The blade is homogenous and amphistomatic with 4-5 vascular bundles in the mid rib
vein.
Uniseriate non glandular are abundant in the stem and leaf.
The mechanical tissue is represented by sclerenchyma and tangential collenchyma tissues
placed in the stem and collenchyma tissue in the leaf.

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