Leaf micromorphology and taxonomy of North African species of Sideritis L. (Lamiaceae)

Abstract

This study reports on the structure of trichomes, epidermal cells, stomata and venation patterns. The trichomes are either glandular or eglandular. The latter are unicellular or multicellular, soft or rigid pointed hairs. The glandular hairs are short or long stalked, the latter are generally flattened and may be sessile. The epidermal cells are variously shaped with sinuous or straight walls usually randomly orientated. Stomata are either anomocytic or diacytic and evenly distributed throughout the epidermis without any definite pattern of orientation. Venation is of the semicraspedodermous type.