Ecological anatomy of Myrcia guianensis (Aubl.) DC. leaf in restinga in Ceará state

Abstract

The ecological foliar anatomy of the genus Myrcia DC. is still little studied. Myrcia guianensis (Aubl.) DC. species popularly known as mapirunga, occurs in a coastal region in the state of Ceará and has ecological importance and medicinal potential. The objective was to characterize the ecological foliar anatomy of this species in rainy and dry seasons, as well as, in the sun and shade in the Ceará’s Restinga. To do so, samples were collected in São Gonçalo Botanical Garden, with leaves totally expanded and fixed in FAA70, being replaced by 70% ethanol after 24 hours. It was followed to the usual anatomical procedures in the Ecology Laboratory of the Ceará State University, in order to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the structures of the leaf blade, petiole and paradermal sections. The results showed the presence of characteristics that contribute to its survival in a Restinga environment with periods of water deficit and high luminosity, such as: presence of slightly thick cuticle, hypoestomatic leaf, increased stomatal density in leaves of sun, presence of abundant fibers in the vascular bundles of the central vein and presence of drusen. Therefore, it is concluded that the plant under study has a great acclimative capacity to the analyzed conditions (intense luminosity and periods of water deficit).