I.J.S.N., VOL. 3(4) 2012: 788-798 ISSN 2229 – 6441 788 TAXONOMIC DIVERSITY IN EPIDERMAL CELLS (STOMATA) OF SOME SELECTED ANTHOPHYTA UNDER THE ORDER LEGUMINALES (CAESALPNIACEAE, MIMOSACEAE & FABACEAE) BASED ON NUMERICAL ANALYSIS: A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH Sayantan Tripathi & Amal Kumar Mondal Department of Botany and Forestry, Plant Taxonomy, Biosystematics and Molecular Taxonomy Laboratory, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore- 721 102, West Bengal, India. ABSTRACT The Stomata diversity (size, shapes, types and orientation) in the foliar epidermis has great value in plant systematic studies. A comparative micro-morphological study of stomata of 45 genera belonging to 3 families viz. Fabaceae (19 genera and 24 species), Caesalpniaceae (6 genera and 11 species) and Mimosaceae 8 genera and 10 species) under the order Leguminales was done. The selected species showed diversity in the habits and habitats also. Among the 45 selected species the 19 species are terrestrial and trees, 5 species are shrubs, 12 species are herbs, 7 species are climbers and 2 species are fully in marshy habit. Leaf clearings and cuticular preparations were examined with light microscopy. Out of the 45 selected species, 31 species showed amphistomatic and 14 species showed hypostomatic and on the other hand the most diversified stomata were observed tree species. The maximum numbers of tree species have hypostomatic which reflects that the habits and stomata appearance on foliar epidermis might be greatly co-related. The size and shapes of stomata are also varied in the tree species which bear larger size of stomata in respect of other habits and habitats. Three types of stomata were observed viz. paracytic (64.1%), anisocytic (46.6%) and anomocytic (33.3%). Among these 3 types of stomata the paracytic type of stomata are very common and than other. The structure, shape and size of stomata varied among the different families and even within the family in between the various genus and species also. KEY WORDS: Taxonomic diversity, epidermal cells, Anthophyta, amphistomatic, hypostomatic, paracytic, anisocytic, anpmocytic, Leguminales, numerical analysis (NA), systematic approach. INTRODUCTION Small openings, many of which are found in the epidermal layers of plants, allowing access of Co 2 and egress for water, are stomata. Stomata are surrounded by guard cells, which control the pore size. Stoma is usually termed for the opening in the epidermis through which gaseous exchange takes place between intercellular spaces of the sub epidermal cells and the atmosphere. The stoma was first studied by Stresburger followed by Vesque (1989) who recognized 4 broad categories of stomata based on the presence and arrangement of accessory cells as well as their mode of development. Leaf epidermal anatomical features such as stomata, trichomes are useful anatomical tools. Stomatogenesis has long been studied by morphologists, physiologists and taxonomist .The morphology and ontogenies of taxa are important in intra generic systematics. Diversity in stomata types, even on the same surface of an organ, indicates the weakness in using stomata as a taxonomic character. (Pant & Kidwai, 1964). In spite of diversity, the most frequent stomata type can be used as a taxonomic character (Gopal, 1970). Despite the immense economic importance of the legumes and the physiological importance of the stomatal apertures, reports on the frequency and the structure of the stomata are lacking or incomplete for many species. On the basis of arrangement of epidermal all neighboring the guard cells, more than 25 main types of stomata in dicots have been recognized (Metcalfe & Chalk, 1979). Stace (1980) reported 31 different types of stomata among cotyledonous plants. But the present study is based on the paper of Metcalfe and Chalk (1950) who described the 4 types – i.e. Anisocytic, Anomocytic, Diacytic and Paracytic. MATERIALS AND METHODS The plant specimen belonging from the families Papilionaccae, Mimosaccae, and Caesalpiniaccae under order Leguminales were collected for studies of stomata. The species identification of the selected material were determined according to standard literature. The work has been done in the months of February to April, (2010- 2011). The foliar epidermal peals were taken from the middle of both surfaces of mature leaves, (except in case of Acacia mangium and Acacia auriculiformis phyllode were taken and foliar stipule was taken in case of Pisum sativum). Source The plant materials are mostly collected from different parts West Bengal and few are collected from various parts of India. Isolation of epidermis Epidermis of leaf isolated from both fresh and dry plant specimen. The mature leaves were fixed in FAA solution (acetic acid: alcohol: formalin: water = 2:5:1:12) for 24 hours and washed in 70% ethanol. Three circular disk samples were cut from an area adjacent to the midrib of each leaf. Disk sample were boil in 5% aqueous solution of KOH for 5-10 minutes. Epidermal peals were stepped