Abstract

VENATION PATTERN IN EIGHT SPECIES OF LINDERA OF FAMILY LAURACEAE

Ulka Chodankar*

.

Abstract

Lindera belongs to family Lauraceae. The family is economically important. The existing classifications of Lauraceae are based on floral androecial characters. The separation of species of Lindera is quite difficult based on morphological characters in the family and so the leaf venation of eight species of Lindera is studied and a key to venation is made so that the species can be separated based on venation pattern. Anatomy is a very important tool which can be used to other identify the species along with the morphological characters. The species studied are Lindera assamica, L. bifaria, L. caudata, L. griffithi, L. latifolia, L. melastomacea, L. nessiana and L. pulcherrima. The types of venation found is pinnate camptodromous with festooned brochidodromous secondaries, acrodromous with perfect basal secondaries and is acrodromous with perfect supra-basal secondaries. There is a variation in angle of divergence of secondary veins and pattern of tertiary veins. The highest vein order also ranges from 40 to 60. Presence or absence of tracheoids has also been studied along with the angle of origin of tertiary veins from exmedial to admedial sides is also showing a range which can be used to separate the species.

Keywords: Pinnate camptodromous, acrodromous, festooned brochidodromous, basal and suprabasal.