Stem and leaf morphoanatomy of Maytenus ilicifolia.
Maytenus ilicifolia is a woody medicinal plant, employed mainly for its antiulcerogenic properties. The stem and leaf morphoanatomy has been studied, aiming to supply knowledge for the pharmacognostic and taxonomic species identification. The vegetative material was fixed, freehand sectioned and stained according to usual microtechniques. The stem organization, in secondary growth, shows periderm beneath the remaining epidermis, conspicuous sclerenchymatic ring in the cortex and cambium forming phloem outside and xylem inside. The leaf is simple, alternate and lanceolate and has sparsely spiny teeth along the margin. Epidermal cells containing calcium oxalate crystals, thick cuticle that forms cuticular flanges, dorsiventral mesophyll and amphicrival bundle in the midrib and petiole are observed.
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Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Rua Pref, Lothário Meissner, 3400, CEP 80210170, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. marciard@ufpr.br
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D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D029755:Maytenus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000033:anatomy & histology
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts