Bulliform cells in Loudetiopsis chrysothrix (Nees) Conert and Tristachya leiostachya Nees (Poaceae): structure in relation to function

• Main Authors: Juliana Magalhães Alvarez, Joecildo Francisco Rocha, Silvia Rodrigues Machado
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto de Tecnologia do Paraná (Tecpar) 2008-02-01
• Series: Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology
• Subjects: Anatomy; bulliform cells; cerrado; Poaceae; ultrastructure
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-89132008000100014

This work reports anatomic and ultrastructural characteristics of bulliform cells in Loudetiopsis chrysothrix (Nees) Conert and Tristachya leiostachya Nees. Both the species presented leaf rolling under water stress. The main characteristics observed in these cells were: periclinal wall thinner than the adjacent epidermal wall; abundance of pectic substances in cuticular layer; sinuous anticlinal walls with ramified plasmodesmata; vacuome formed by a developed vacuole or innumerous small vacuoles; abundance of phenolic substances and oil drops. These characteristics suggested the involvement of bulliform cells in the mechanism of foliar involution in the studied species.<br>Este trabalho relata as características anatômicas e ultra-estruturais das células buliformes em Loudetiopsis chrysothrix (Nees) Conert e Tristachya leiostachya Nees. Ambas as espécies apresentam enrolamento foliar em condições de estresse hídrico. As principais características observadas nessas células foram: paredes periclinais mais delgadas que as epidérmicas adjacentes; abundância de substâncias pécticas na camada cuticular; paredes anticlinais sinuosas com plasmodesmas ramificados; vacuoma formado por um vacúolo desenvolvido ou inúmeros vacúolos pequenos; abundância de substâncias fenólicas e gotas de óleo dispersas. As características observadas sugerem o envolvimento das células buliformes no mecanismo de involução foliar nas espécies estudadas.