This research aimed to study the leaf anatomy of the weed species Galinsoga parviflora, Crotalaria incana, Conyza bonariensis and Ipomoea cairica, , widely known in Brazil, to acquire a better understanding of the barriers each species imposes upon herbicide penetration, and to find strategies to overcome these obstacles. The completely expanded leaves from the third to the fifth nodes were collected from spontaneous plants in the field. Three samples with approximately 1 cm² were taken from the leaves of each species, at the central portion and were used in structure and clarification studies as well as in scanning-electron microscope (SEM) observations. All species were found to be amphistomatic. The potential main leaf barriers against herbicide penetration were found to be low stomatic density in the adaxial side in G. parviflora; high epicuticular wax content in C. incana; and high trichome density, high cuticle thickness in the adaxial side and low stomatic density in the adaxial side in C. bonariensis. High cuticle thickness in the adaxial side and low stomatic density in the adaxial side were the possible herbicide barriers observed in the leaves of I. cairica.
cuticle; epicuticular wax; stomata; trichome; vascular bunches
