Abstract

ESPOSITO-POLESI, Natalia Pimentel; RODRIGUES, Ricardo Ribeiro  and  ALMEIDA, Marcílio de. Ecological anatomy of Eugenia glazioviana Kiaersk leaf (Myrtaceae). Rev. Árvore [online]. 2011, vol.35, n.2, pp. 255-263. ISSN 0100-6762.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0100-67622011000200010.

In response to hydrous stress, the adaptive mechanisms with a potential adaptive value presented by Eugenia glazioviana Kiaersk is notable, whose leaf turgidity loss and the blade consequent curvature from the horizontal to vertical position, without the leaves abscission, are associated with the reduction of the leaf surface exposed to sunlight. This study aimed to characterize histological leaf species to better understand the mechanism in response to hidrous stress. Therefore, we performed transverse and paradermal cuts from the leaf blade and petiole cross-sections. They were analyzed and the images were captured under light microscope. Among other things, the results allowed to state that E. glazioviana has typically xerophytic characteristics, namely: "thick cuticle on both surfaces, hypostomatic leaves with many trichomes on the abaxial side", and a characteristic that may be unique to that species and possibly justify such response, which is related to the glandular ducts presence, running the petiole length in continuity with the leaf blade.

Keywords : Stress; Response; Xerophytic; Glandular ducts.