Pharmaceutical Botany

Morphology of Stem

Tutik Sri Wahyuni, SSi., MSi, Apt., PhD

Dept of Pharmaceutical Science

wahyuni
Where does the medicine come from?

• Medicinal properties derived from plants can come

from many different parts of a plant including
leaves, roots, bark, fruit, seeds, flowers.
• The different parts of plants can contain different
active ingredients within one plant. Thus, one part
of the plant could be toxic while another portion of
the same plant could be harmless.
Stemà drug??
Anatomy of stem
 Previous lecture..
Different anatomy of dicots and monocots
Monocotyledons Dicotyledons

• Dicot stems with primary growth

• It has enclosed
have pith in the center, with
vascular, they are vascular bundles forming a distinct
scattered and all of ring visible when the stem is viewed
them pass from stem in cross section.
to leaves • The outside of the stem is covered
with an epidermis, which is covered
• there is no boundary by a waterproof cuticle.
between the primary • A cortex consisting
bark and the central of hypodermis and endodermis
cylinder, there is no
pith or rhytidome FFUA
 What is morphology ?

Morphology is the study of

external features of plants,
arrangement, relationship of the
organs
 Shoot
• A tree stem with leaves is called a shoot
Shoot is included:
• Stem and bark (primary and secondary
growth, morphology, histology).
• The leaf (morphology, types, histology).
• The flower (morphology,
types).Inflorescence types.
• The fruit (histology, types).
• The seed (histology, types).
Shoot/ sistem pucuk
 What is STEM ?
• in botany, the plant axis that
bears buds and shoots with leaves and,
at its basal end, roots.
• The stem conducts water, minerals, and
food to other parts of the plant; it may
also store food, and green stems
themselves produce food
Part of
Stem
• Nodes are points of attachment for leaves.
Leaves often consist of a thin region that
attaches to the stem (the petiole) and a
broader blade.
• The stem region between two nodes is
called an internode.
• An axillary bud is usually found in
the axil—the area between the base of a
leaf and the stem—where it can give rise
to a branch called an axillary shoot.
• The shoot apex at the tip shoot contains
the shoot apical meristem surrounded by
developing leaves called leaf primordia.
 Functions of Stem
• It supports and holds leaves, flowers, and fruits.
• The stem allows the leaves to arrange in a way that they
are able to receive direct sunlight in order to efficiently
perform photosynthesis.
• The xylem and phloem present in the vascular bundles of
stems conduct water and minerals across the plant.
• Some stems undergo modification to store food and
water.
• Few green stems contain chloroplasts and are capable of
carrying out photosynthesis as well.
• Some stems are modified to carry out dispersion which
is a form of asexual reproduction seen in plants.
 Types of shoot branching
1. Monopodial
• Monopodial – racemose. The main apex is the tallest,
lateral branches are shorter. It is thicker and its
individual modules are derived from the original apex
tip. Ex:Casuarina sp./cemara
2. Sympodial
• Sympodial branching. The main apex is the shortest
and lateral branches are taller. Sympodium is further
classified into:
a. monochasium, formed in woody species with
alternate leaves and node buds.
b. dichasium is typical of woody species with an
opposite position of leaves and node buds.
Monopodial – the main
apex is the tallest,
lateral branches are
shorter. Sympodial
branching – the main
apex
is the shortest and
lateral branches are
taller.

Acrotony – growth form

of tree.
Basitony – growth form
of shrubs.
 Stems are different by the type of
phyllotaxis
• The phyllotaxis refers to the arrangement of leaves
- If there is one leaf per node, it is a spiral (alternate) arrangement.
- Two leaves per node means opposite arrangement: two leaves per node arrangement.
Opposite leaves can be all in the same plane or each pair can rotate at 90∘∘.
- If there are more than two leaves per node, it is a whorled arrangement, and each
whorl can also rotate. Each type of spiral phyllotaxis has its own angle of divergence.
Multiple types of spiral leaf arrangement mostly follow the Fibonacci sequence:
 Structure of stem
1. Herbaceous (no woody stem)
Amaranthus spinosu, genjer (Limnocharis
flava), krokot (Portulaca oleracea),
2. Lignosus (woody stem)
Ex: Gardenia(Gardenia augusta), alamanda
(Allamanda cathartica), sidaguri (Sida rhombifolia),
beluntas (Pluchea indica), putri malu (Mimosa
pudica )
3. Carlus
Ex:oryza sativa, Zea mays
4. Calamus
Ex: Cyperus rotundus
 The shape of stem
1. Cycle:
Ex: Bambusa sp, Cocus nucifera

2. Angularis
-tringularis :ex: Cyperus rotundus

-Quandraangualaris: ex:markisa/Passiflora
edulis, iler (Coleus scutellarioides)
3. Flat
ex: cactus
Surface of stem
Hairy stem

Duri tempel

(Ceiba petandra
Gaertn/randu)
 The arrow of stem

FFUA
creeper
Modification of Stem
Underground stem
• These stems remain at the ground level and
produce aerial shoots that rise above the soil. Their
roots are superficially present.
• These stems are meant for storage of food and
capable of vegetative propagation.
They are of different types

• Rhizome- is a thickened underground stem that has distinct

nodes and internodes and scaly leaves at the nodes.
Example: Ginger.
• Tuber- is a horizontal underground stem that becomes
enlarged at its growing tips due to the accumulation of
stored food, commonly starch. E.g. Potato.
• Bulb- It is a short underground stem with a fleshy base with
leafy scales. The stem is actually reduced to form a disc-like
structure. The nodes bear fleshy scales. On the upper side,
the disc bears a terminal bud surrounded by a number of
leaves. E .g. Onion.
• Corm- is a short, vertical, swollen underground stem of a
plant that serves as a food storage organ to enable the plant
to survive adverse conditions. E.g Colocasia
• Tubers (example: potatoes, Solanum)

Tubers (example: potatoes, Solanum)

A corm (example: crocus, Crocus)
 Sub-aerial Stems modification

• These stems run parallel to the ground and give off

roots at certain intervals or nodes.
Sub-aerial Stems modification include:
• Runner- It grows parallel to the ground and has a
creeping stem with long internodes. On the lower
surface, the nodes give out adventitious roots at
regular intervals. A runner develops from the axils
of lower leaves of the aerial stem
• Offset- These are shorter and thicker than the
runner and are often seen in aquatic plants
• Stolon- It is similar to a runner but arises from the
lower part of the main axis.
• Sucker- These stems are similar to the stolon but it
grows obliquely upwards and gives rise to a new
plant
Sub –Aerial modification

FFUA
FFUA
FFUA
Mentha arvensis EIchornia
 Aerial Stems Modification

• These stems are found above the ground and

perform varied functions.
Types of Aerial Stems
• Thorns- These stem modifications appear as hard, woody and
sharp outgrowths that protect the plant. example: roses
• Tendril – These types of stems are slender, twining strands that
enable a plant to seek support while climbing on other surfaces.
FFUA
• Phylloclade- This type of stem is a green, flattened or cylindrical
one that resembles a leaf. A phylloclade is capable of performing
photosynthesis and we can find them in xerophytes or in other
plants that have little or no leaves.
• Cladode- This is a modification of the phylloclade where it
contains one or more internodes.
• Bulbil- These stems are actually modified axillary buds which
become fleshy and rounded due to the storage of food. They
become detached from the plant, fall o the ground and develop
into a new plant, thus help in vegetative propagation.
Aerial Modification
 Bulbil
Cladode

FFUA
References