Morphology of leaf epidermis of Fritillaria in Anhui province

Objective: To provided experimental evidences for the systematic taxonomy of Fritillaria in Anhui province.Method: Light microscophy and scanning electron microscophy were applied in the research.Result: The leaf epidermal cells were tectangle except the F.monantha var.tonglingensis,whose cells of the lower epidermis were parallelogram,the patterns of anticlinal walls were straight,sinuolate,undulance or deep undulance.The stomatal apparatus were founded in lower epidermis,oblong,the distribution of stomatal apparatus was random and single.Besides F.qimenensis,the other species all had stomatal inner cavity obviously,inner margin of outer stomatal ledge was smooth,sinulate or sinuous.The cuticular of the leaf epidermis was scaly,patchable,granular or warted,strip apophysis also existed in F.wanjiangensis.The anticlinal wall of the leaf epidermis cell flanged or sunken as channel,the outer walls of some speices were sunken or protuberant.Conclusion: Some characters of the leaf epidermis,such as shape of surface cells or pattern of anticlinal,inner margin of outer stomatal rim size,cuticular membrance and the cell wall show more or less difference among the species.Those characters provide experimental evidences for the division of species and systematic evolution relationships of Fritillaria.