mallika :

Morphology:

The leaves are ovate, 4 to 12.5 cm (1.6 to 4.9 in) long and 2 to 7.5 cm (0.79 to 2.95 in) wide. The phyllotaxy is opposite or in whorls of three, simple (not pinnate, like most other jasmines).They are smooth (glabrous) except for a few hairs at the venation on the base of the leaf.

The flowers bloom all throughout the year and are produced in clusters of 3 to 12 together at the ends of branches. They are strongly scented, with a white corolla 2 to 3 cm (0.79 to 1.18 in) in diameter with 5 to 9 lobes. The flowers open at night (usually around 6 to 8 in the evening), and close in the morning, a span of 12 to 20 hours The fruit is a purple to black berry 1 cm (0.39 in) in diameter.

Histology:

The leaflet is typical dorsiventral having both upper and lower epidermis. The epidermis is single layered with flat rectangular cells. Upper one is covered by thin cuticle while lower is covered by thick cuticle. Both epidermis have uniseriate (unicellular and multicellular) covering trichomes. Glandular trichomes having multicellular head are also present. Paracytic stomata are present only on the lower epidermis.

Below the upper epidermis, the laminar region has two layers of palisade cells having long elongated compactly packed parenchymatous cells. Palisade is followed by four to five layers of spongy parenchyma having several vascular strands encircled by parenchymatous sheath.

In the midrib region upper epidermis is followed by multilayered collenchymatous cells. The vascular tissue is present in the centre forming the shape of half moon followed by surrounding xylem. Between the phloem region and lower collenchymatous region is present scattered bundles of sclerenchymatous cells.

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