Ceropegia africana, R. Br.

Romero, Giovanna E., 2022, Stem and caudex anatomy of succulent plant species, Adansonia (3) 44 (10), pp. 81-90 : 84

CEROPEGIA AFRICANAR. BR.

Stem cortex has chloroplasts in the outer part of cells. Vascular cambium has just formed; therefore, not much wood is present. Vascular cambium shows no distinction between axial and radial systems. Bicollateral bundles are closed to the pith ( Fig. 1D ). There is an almost uninterrupted ring of extraxylary gelatinous fibers ( Fig. 1E ). Pith has large parenchyma cells and some laticifers.

Caudex cortex has enlarged parenchyma cells. Wood is parenchymatous and formed by successive cambium. Conjunctive tissue and secondary phloem are characteristic of this type of cambium ( Fig. 1F ). The axial matrix has mainly parenchyma tissue and few solitary vessels. Multiseriate rays are proliferated. It is difficult to recognize ray or axial system due to proliferation of parenchyma cells in both systems. In addition, some dark granules and latex are found in some parenchyma cells in wood. Pith has an oval shape.

Figures

FIG. 1. — Transverse sections of stems and caudices, unless otherwise noted: A-C, Adenium obesum (Forssk.) Roem. & Schult.; A, stem, bicollateral bundle; B, caudex, cortex laticifers and fibrous wood; C, caudex, fibrous wood, thin-walled libriform fibers, tangential section; D-F, Ceropegia africana R. Br.; D, stem, bicollateral bundles;E, stem,extraxylary gelatinous fibers;F, caudex,conjunctive tissue,parenchyma cells are proliferated in wood; G-I, Momordica rostrataZimm; G, stem, wood; H, caudex, wood; I, caudex, conjunctive tissue bordered by secondary phloem. Abbreviations: bc, bicollateral bundle; l, laticifer; p, parenchyma cells; gf, gelatinous fibers; ct, conjunctive tissue; pw, parenchymatous wood; fw, fibrous wood; sp, secondary phloem. Scale bars: 50 µm.