Comparative vegetative anatomy of Stanhopeinae (Orchidaceae)

Abstract

Stanhopeinae are a group of tropical American orchids characterized by euglossine bee pollination and lateral inflorescences stemming from the bases of pseudobulbs. Leaves are hypostomatal, and all stomatal configurations are tetracytic. Chlorenchyma is homogeneous and characterized by fibre bundles in adaxial/abaxial or adaxial/median/abaxial positions. Collateral vascular bundles occur in a single row and feature phloic and xylic sclerenchymatous caps and thin-walled bundle sheath cells. Fibre bundles and vascular sclerenchyma are accompanied by stegmata containing conical silica bodies. Pseudobulbs have thick-walled turbinate epidermal cells and ground tissue of smaller, living assimilatory cells and larger, dead water-storage cells. Fibre bundles are usually absent but occur in several genera. Collateral vascular bundles show phloic sclerenchyma, but xylic sclerenchyma occurs only in the larger vascular bundles. Phloic and xylic sclerenchyma are associated with stegmata containing conical silica bodies. Roots are velamentous. Velamen cell walls have fine, spiral thickenings. Exodermal cells are thin-walled. The cortex features scattered thick-walled cells and in some cases branched bars of secondary cell wall material. Endodermis is either union set-or O-thickened, but pericycle is always O-thickened opposite the phloem. Vascular tissue consists of alternating strands of xylem and phloem surrounded by a matrix of thick-walled cells. Pith cells may be parenchymatous or sclerenchymatous.