Compare the anatomy of Bifacial and Isobilateral leaves
BIFACIAL LEAF:
It is also
called dorsiventral leaf. This leaf is more strongly illuminated on upper
surface than on lower surface. This unequal illumination induces a difference
in the internal structure between upper and lower sides. Its internal structure
shows:
(1) Upper
Epidermis
This is single
layer of cells with thick cuticle which checks excessive evaporation of water
from the surface. It does not contains chloroplasts, stomata are also absent.
(2) Lower
Epidermis
This is also
single layer but with a thin cuticle. It bears many stomata, two guard cells of
which contain some chloroplast, none are present in the epidermal cells.
Internal to each stomata is large cavity called respiratory cavity. Lower
epidermis of leaf is meant for exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide)
between the atmosphere and the plant body. Excess water also evaporates from
lower epidermis.
(3) Mesophyll
The ground
tissue lying between upper epidermis and the lower one is known as mesophyll.
It has palisade parenchyma and spongy parenchyma.
(a) Palisade
parenchyma consists of one to two or three layers of elongated cylindrical
cells closely packed with long axes at right angels to the epidermis. The cells
contain many chloroplasts and manufacture sugar and starch in the presence of
sunlight.
(b) Spongy
parenchyma consists of oval rounded or irregular cells loosely arranged towards
the lower epidermis enclosing numerous large intercellular spaces and air
cavities. They fit closely around the vein or vascular bundle. Cells contain
few chloroplasts. Spongy cells help diffusion of gases by empty spaces left
between them. They manufacture sugar and starch to some extent.
(4) Vascular
Bundles
Each vascular
bundle (vien) consists of xylem towards the upper epidermis and phloem towards
the lower. Xylem has various kinds of vessels (annular and spiral), trachieds,
wood fibres and wood parenchyma. Xylem conduct and distributes water and raw
food material to different parts of leaf blade.
Phloem consists
of some narrow sieve tubes, companion cells and phloem parenchyma. Phloem
carries prepared food material from leaf blade to growing and storage regions.
Around each
vascular bundle is compact layer of thin walled cells called border parenchyma
or bundle sheath. Sclerenchyma occurs as a sheath around bigger bundle or as
patches with xylem and phloem.
ISOBILATERAL
LEAF:
It is equally
illuminated on both sides, (isos = equal, bio = two, lateris = side).
It is also
called unifacial or isolateral leaf. Stomata are present in both the epidermal
layers and may be called amphistomal leaf. Mesophyll is not differentiated into
palisade and spongy tissue but consists of parenchyma cells with chloroplast
and inter cellular spaces e.g. maize,.
Upper and lower
epidermis in Monocot leaves though are similar in structure, former shows
greater variation in structure. It is made up of thin walled compactly arranges
cells. In maize bamboo and in many grasses in addition to normal cells there
are present groups of bigger cells called bulliform cells or motor cells.
In water plants
cells of upper and lower epidermis have chloroplasts. Epidermal cells may also
contain wax. In date palm more than one layered epidermis is present.
Mesophyll layers
in most of monocot leaves form spongy mass of chlorophyll cells and leaves form
spongy mass of chlorophyll cells and have a continuous communication system of
intercellular spaces to the outside through the stomata.
On one or both
sides of veins there may be present sclerenchymatous patches that continue upto
epidermis and are called bundle sheath extensions. Vascular bundles or veins in
monocot leaves are arranged in parallel manner. In most cases all the veins are
of equal size or they may differ in size in some cases. They have common
structure being conjoint collateral and enclosed by a bundle sheath. Xylem is
towards the upper side and phloem on lower side. In some cases bundle sheath is
2 layered of which inner layer is sclerenchymatous e.g. wheat.
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