Malays. Appl. Biol. (2014) 43(2): 119-128

SYSTEMATIC SIGNIFICANCE OF STIPE ANATOMY IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIAN Blechnum L. (BLECHNACEAE) SPECIES

*NORAINI, T.¹, AMIRUL-AIMAN, A.J.¹, JAMAN, R.², NOR-FAIRUZ, A.R.¹, MAIDEEN, H.¹, DAMANHURI, A.¹ & RUZI, A.R.¹

¹School of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology,

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor

²Botany and Herbarium Unit, Division of Biodiversity and Environment,

Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), 52109 Kepong, Selangor, Malaysia

AbstraCT

A study on the stipe anatomy was conducted on six taxa of Blechnum in Peninsular Malaysia namely B. finlaysonianum, B. fraseri, B. indicum, B. melanocaulon subsp. pallen, B. orientale and B. vestitum. The objective of this study is to investigate the variations in the stipe anatomical characteristics that can be used for species identification and classification. There are five stipe anatomical characteristics found in this study that can be used to distinguish the Blechnum species. The characters are stipe outlines, patterns of sclerenchyma cell layers present under epidermal cells, presence and absence of sclerenchyma cell layer encircled the vascular bundles, number of vascular bundles, and presence of auricles on the adaxial side of stipe. Similarities found in stipe anatomical characteristics in all Blechnum species studied are the Aspidium stele type and presence of sclerenchyma cell layers underneath the epidermal layer. The diagnostic anatomical characteristics found in this study is the absence of sclerenchyma cells layer ensheathing each vascular bundles in the steles of B. finlaysonianum. Therefore, the stipe anatomical characteristics can be of use in the identification of species in the genus Blechnum.

Keywords: Stipe anatomy, Blechnum, Peninsular Malaysia

ABSTRAK

Suatu kajian anatomi stip telah dijalankan ke atas enam takson Blechnum di Semenanjung Malaysia iaitu B. finlaysonianum, B. fraseri, B. indicum, B. melanocaulon subsp. pallen,        B. orientale, dan B. vestitum. Objektif kajian ini ialah untuk mengenalpasti variasi ciri anatomi stip yang boleh digunakan untuk pengecaman dan pengelasan spesies. Terdapat lima ciri anatomi stip yang boleh digunakan untuk membezakan spesies Blechnum yang dikaji. Ciri tersebut ialah bentuk luaran stip, corak lapisan sel sklerenkima yang hadir di bawah lapisan sel epidermis, jumlah berkas vaskular, kehadiran dan ketidakhadiran lapisan sel sklerenkima mengelilingi setiap berkas vaskular dan kehadiran struktur bak sayap/telinga pada bahagian adaksial stip. Ciri persamaan anatomi yang dijumpai dalam semua spesies Blechnum yang dikaji ialah kehadiran stel jenis Aspidium dan kehadiran lapisan sel sklerenkima di bawah lapisan sel epidermis. Ciri anatomi diagnostik yang ditemui dalam kajian ialah ketidakhadiran lapisan sel sklerenkima mengelilingi berkas vaskular pada stel dalam B. finlaysonianum. Oleh yang demikian, ciri anatomi stip boleh digunakan dalam pengecaman spesies dalam genus Blechnum.

Kata kunci: Anatomi stip, Blechnum, Semenanjung Malaysia

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