Leaf morphoanatomy of an endemic massaranduba from chapada diamantina, Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

The Sapotaceae family is recognized for its economic importance, presenting food, medicinal and timber potential. Pouteria andarahiensis T.D.Penn., popularly known as “massaranduba”, is endemic to Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil, and is currently classified on the IUCN red list as “endangered”. Pouteria andarahiensis is little studied, highlighting this work as the first anatomical study for the species. Light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to perform anatomical studies. The species showed characters shared with the family (laticifers and malpiguiaceous trichomes), as well as diagnostic characters and associated with xeromorphy. The data obtained from the leaf architecture can assist in the identification of the species in a vegetative state, while the leaf surface provided unpublished data to the species, indicating the presence of a cuticle with complex ornamentation. Stand out as xeromorphic anatomical features, high stomatal density, high number of trichomes per area, sclerenchymatic columns in the mesophyll and a subepidermal sclerenchyma layer connecting the vascular bundles in the mesophyll.