Variation of Calcium Oxalate (CaOx) Crystals in Porang (<i>Amorphophallus muelleri Blume</i>)

Abstract

This research had aimed to determine variations in form of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals in porang. Slides for microscopic observation were prepared from sliced leaf, petiole, and tuber of porang. Sliced organs were cleared by using modified clearing method. The parameters that were observed included form and variety of morphology type of CaOx crystals. Microscopic observation showed there were four basic forms of crystals, i.e., druse, raphide, prism and styloid with some variation of diverse types, each of which had 49, 10, 8, and 5 variations. CaOx crystals, based on the size, were grouped into large (20-250 μm) and small (1-15 μm) crystals.