Plant Anatomy

This indispensable textbook provides a comprehensive overview of all aspects of plant anatomy and emphasizes the application of plant anatomy and its relevance to modern botanical research. The companion website, ‘The Virtual Plant’, offers a collection of high quality photographs and scanning electron microscope images giving students access to the microscopic detail of plant structures essential to gaining a real understanding of the subject.  Exercises for the laboratory are also included, making this work an indispensable resource for lectures and laboratory classes.  Plant Anatomy is an essential reference for undergraduates taking courses in plant anatomy, applied plant anatomy and plant biology courses; and for researchers and postgraduates in plant sciences.

Preface ix Acknowledgements x Introduction 1 1 Morphology and tissue systems: the integrated plant body 4 General background 4 Adaptation to aerial growth 6 The systems in detail 9 2 Meristems and meristematic growth 14 Introduction 14 Apical meristems 15 Lateral meristems 20 Practical applications and uses of meristems 21 3 The structure of xylem and phloem 28 Introduction 28 The xylem 28 The phloem 41 Structure–function relationships in primary and secondary vascular tissues 45 4 The root 48 Introduction 48 Epidermis 48 Cortex 49 Endodermis 51 Pericycle 52 Vascular system 53 Lateral roots 54 5 The stem 57 Introduction 57 Stems – cross-sectional appearance 59 Transport phloem within the axial system 64 Transport tissue – structural components 66 Concluding remarks 68 6 The leaf 70 Introduction 70 Leaf structure 74 The epidermis 76 The mesophyll 93 Strengthening systems in the leaf 102 The vascular system 103 The phloem 108 Specifi cs of the monocotyledonous foliage leaf 111 Secretory structures 118 Concluding remarks 119 7 Flowers, fruits and seeds 121 Introduction 121 Vascularization 121 SEM studies 123 Palynology 124 Embryology 127 Seed and fruit histology 127 8 Adaptive features 135 Introduction 135 Mechanical adaptations 135 Adaptations to habitat 137 Xerophytes 139 Mesophytes 147 Hydrophytes 150 Applications 152 9 Economic aspects of applied plant anatomy 154 Introduction 154 Identifi cation and classifi cation 154 Taxonomic application 155 Medicinal plants 158 Food adulterants and contaminants 159 Animal feeding habits 162 Wood: present day 163 Wood: in archaeology 165 Forensic applications 168 Palaeobotany 169 Postscript 169 10 Practical microtechnique 170 Safety considerations 170 Materials and methods 170 Microscopy 191 Appendix 1 Selected study material 195 Appendix 2 Practical exercises 203 Glossary 242 Cited references 280 Further reading 282 Index 287