This study describes the anatomy of the leaf blade of three species of Melastomataceae, Lavoisiera bergii Cogn., Macairea radula (Bonpl.) DC. and Trembleya parviflora (D. Don) Cogn., which colonize the flooded and open areas of a lower zone of palm swamp, and the M. radula and T. parviflora, which occur in cerrado sensu stricto, of the Estação Ecológica de Águas Emendadas, Planaltina, DF. Structural data of the three species indicate sclerophylly with particular characteristics to each of them, such as projections on epidermal cells of L. bergii, different types and position of emergencies in L. bergii and M. radula and the protrusion in the epidermis of T. parviflora. Anatomical characterization of the leaves of M. radula and T. parviflora did not differ between environments. However, the leaf blades of individuals of M. radula and T. parviflora found in the palm swamp showed plasticity in relation to individuals from the cerrado sensu stricto. Significantly higher values (P < 0.05) for the thickness of the mesophyll and chlorophyll parenchyma, leaf mass and specific leaf mass were found in the palm swamp. This relationship is reversed for values of specific leaf area. The ability to provide structural plasticity together with sclerophylly may be relevant to the invasive behavior of these species in the palm swamp as emphasized in the discussion. Moreover, this work also presents a brief discussion of other aspects related to the importance of anatomical structures in the taxonomy and ecology of these species.
leaf emergences; sclerophylly; plasticity
