Comparative leaf epidermal and wood anatomy of three species in the family Meliaceae

Comparative leaf epidermal and wood anatomical studies were conducted on Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Cedrela odorata L. and Trichilia heudelotii Planch. ex Oliv. in the family Meliaceae in search of the morpho-anatomical features of the leaf and wood of three species in the family that can be used to delimit the taxa. Epidermal peels, Transverse Section (TS), Tangential Longitudinal Section (TLS) and RadialLongitudinal Section (RLS) of the woods were made and observed using a light microscope. Macerates of the three species were done using a standard laboratory procedure. Photomicrographs of the slide were taken to observe the anatomical trait. The foliar epidermal characters that revealed a close relationship among the species studied were wavy anticlinal wall pattern, actinocytic stomata, and elliptic guard cell shape. Short unicellular uniseriate trichomes on the adaxial surface were characteristics for Cedrela odorata. Anomocytic stomata and stomata index were diagnostic for Azadirachta indica while staurocytic stomata on the abaxial and glandular trichomes on the adaxial surface were characteristics for Trichilia heudelotii. The three species of the family Meliaceae studied have common generic wood anatomical characters as well as specific delimiting characters. The similarities observed in the quantitative and qualitative analyses showed a close inter-generic relationship between the species. Conclusively, the comparative foliar epidermal and wood anatomy of thespecies showed taxonomic characters that could be used to delimit the studied taxa, thereby resolving the confusion in the family's systematics. This is envisaged to reduce the complexity earlier reported in the identification of the species.