Plant anatomy and morphology studies may help understand possible mechanisms that promote greater competitive capacity for natural resources, especially water, light, and nutrients, as well as greater capacity in retaining and / or impeding the process of penetration of chemicals through the leaves. Therefore, the objective of this work was to study the leaf anatomy of three species of Sida spp. at different stages of development. These species were collected at three phenological stages, characterized as: V1, formation of up to 10 fully-expanded leaves; V2: formation of around 11 leaves and before flowering, and R: after flowering. The study consisted of two phases, one related to anatomical cut and the other to the paradermic fingerprint of the leaves. The species Sida spinosa showed higher stomatal density at the R stage. The three species presented lower stomatal density, higher trichome density, and thicker cell wall at the V2 stage. It was concluded that the three species have higher epicuticular wax content at the vegetative stage, but the species S. spinosa shows a relative decrease in this characteristic at the reproductive stage.
stomata; cell wall; Sida rhombifolia; Sida spinosa; Sida urens; trichome
