Bark Structure of the Southern African Icacinaceae

Potgieter, M.J.; van Wyk, A.E.

Bark Structure of the Southern African Icacinaceae

1994

Potgieter, M.J. | van Wyk, A.E.

A description of the bark structure of southern African species of Apodytes and Cassinopsis is presented for the first time. Bark anatomy was found useful in distinguishing between species, especially in the genus Apodytes. Fibres, associated with sclereids, are found exclusively in Apodytes spec. nov. B, whereas A. dimidiata subsp. dimidiata and Apodytes spec. nov. A contain only sclereids. Fibres are abundant in Cassinopsis tinifolia, but sparse in C. ilicifolia. Wreathing of the sclerenchyma by calcium oxalate crystals occurs in all three species of Apodytes, but not in Cassinopsis. Apodytes contains prismatic crystals as opposed to druses in Cassinopsis. Apodytes dimidiata subsp. dimidiata and Apodytes spec. nov. A show a prismatic crystal arrangement, consisting of crystalliferous cells with a large centralised prismatic crystal surrounded by numerous small peripheral crystals. Chambered cystalliferous strands occur in Cassinopsis, but not in Apodytes. Bark anatomically Apodytes spec. nov. A shows a closer correlation with A. dimidiata than with the other species.

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