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Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin ›› 2016, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (4): 14-20.doi: 10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb15080101

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A Comparative Observation on Morphological Characteristics of Vessel Elementsin Secondary Xylem of Two Plants in Fagus

Wang Dong1,2, Zhang Xuemei1,2, Gan Xiaohong1,2, Xu Xiao1,2   

  1. (1Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation, China West Normal University, Nanchong Sichuan 637009;2College of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong Sichuan 637009)
  • Received:2015-08-19 Revised:2016-01-02 Accepted:2015-10-08 Online:2016-02-01 Published:2016-02-01

Abstract: In order to identify the evolution and ecology adaptability of vessel elements of Fagus, morphological structures of vessel elements, such as type, diameter, the length of wall top, batter and the types of perforation in secondary xylem, were observed and studied by tissue isolation and micrography. This research contained two species of Fagus: Fagus hayatae and Fagus engleriana. The results were as follows: three types of perforation plates (including scalariform vessel, reticulate vessel and pitted vessel) which could transport water efficiently in F. hayatae and F. engleriana were recognized. Pitted vessels with simple perforation plate type of F. hayatae were mainly observed in xylem, accounting for 85.71%, which was higher than that in F. engleriana (62%). F. hayatae had a short end wall and large diameter of vessel element. The research results showed that F. hayatae was more evolutionary than F. engleriana on phylogeny. Morphological characteristics of vessel elements as a species characteristic index between F. hayatae and F. engleriana showed significant limitations. Only morphological supplemented with numerical measurement could preliminary classify and identify the species. The research showed that the differences of diameter, the length of wall top and batter of vessel elements among varieties of the two species were caused by the plants’ adaptability to different habitats variations.