Histochemical Localization of Crystals and their Taxonomic Significance in Five Species of the Subfamily Papilioniodeae

An investigation into the histochemical localization of crystals and their taxonomic significance in five species of the subfamily Papilioniodeae was carried out. The result showed the presence of rhomboidal type of crystals in the leaf of M. aboensis and L. cyanescens; stellate type in C.pubescens but absent of crystals in C.retusa and I. spicata. The petiole of M. aboensis has stellate, rhomboidal and styloid types of crystals; I. spicata has crystal sand type; C. pubescens has both stellate and rhomboidal types; L. cyanescens has stellate but absence of all these types in C. retusa. At stem of these species, M. aboensis has stellate, rhomboidal and crystal sand crystals; I. spicata has rhomboidal; C. pubescens has stellate, rhomboidal and crystal sand crystals; L. cyanescens has only crystal sand type while C. retusa has none. There is absence of crystals at the root of these species. These results showed that M. aboensis and C. pubescens are closely related in terms of crystal types while C. retusa can be distinguished from the rest of the taxa investigated.

Author(s): Ojimba Chioma F*, Mbagwu Ferdinand N and Inyama Chiemeka N

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