Sterculiaceae family systematics in context of histological transverse sectioning of foliar anatomy in changing climate

Abstract The present research work was done to evaluate the anatomical differences among some species of family Sterculiaceae as no detailed anatomical data is available with reference to this family. Various anatomical features such as type and shape of stomata, shape of leaf epidermis, size of epidermal cells and presence and absence of trichomes, oil droplets, hook cells, shape and size of papillae were also observed. A lot of variation was observed in shapes of epidermal cells and length and width of epidermal cells. In both abaxial and adaxial view, irregular shaped epidermal cells were observed in Brachychiton australis and Guazuma ulmifolia . Pentagonal shape of epidermal cells was observed in Dombeya wallichii , Dombeya natalensis and Firmiana pallens . Tetragonal shaped epidermal cells were observed in Helicteres isora , Melhania futteyporensis , Pterospermum acerifolium and Sterculia villosa . Hexagonal shaped epidermal cells were found in Brachychiton populneus . Sinuous shape of epidermal cells was observed in Pterygota alata . In the Abaxial view, anisocytic stomata were observed on the abaxial surface of B. australis and G. ulmifolia . Anomocytic stomata were examined in B. populneus and D. wallichii . Only P. alata possessed amphicyclocytic giant stomata. In Adaxial view, anomocytic stomata were observed in B. populneus . In abaxial and adaxial surface, all the species had kidney shaped guard cells. Glandular, non‐glandular or mostly stellate type trichomes were observed in all species. In the transverse section cutting of leaves less variation was found in upper and lower epidermis, parenchyma and collenchyma tissues, palisade and spongy mesophyll, vascular bundles and intercellular spaces. The statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 26, where PCA and hierarchical clustering were applied, that is, mean, descriptive statistics, standard error and standard deviation. This research work provides a comprehensive review on anatomical characteristics of studied taxa of family Sterculiaceae.