parpata :
Morphology:
An erect herb ca. 7-3 cm tall, having, herbaceous branches. Stem is
ridged having furrows, glabrous, pale, brown, brownish, sedge green.
Radical leaves petiolate, petiole is 1-7 cm long, decompound,
pinnatified, lamina outline ovate, orbicular, 1.5-5x1-3 cm; pinnae
lobes obovate, orbicular, attenuate, oblique, cuneate, petioleis1to15
mm long; lobule linear, oblong, 0.56x0.51 mm, acute, mucronate;
both surfaces of leaves are sedge green. Cauline leaves petiolate,
petiole is 0.8-6 cm long, decompound, pinnatified, lamina outline
elliptic, ovate, orbicular, 1.5-7x1-7cm; pinnae lobes obovate,
orbicular, attenuate, oblique, cuneate, petiolule is 1- 13 mm long;
lobule linear, oblong, 0.5-6x0.5-4mm, acute, mucronate; both surfaces
of leaves are sedge green. Raceme is 0.7-4.5 cm long, 5-23 flowered,
and peduncle is 0.2-1.7 cm long; bract laneolate, 1-2.5x0.5-1 mm
long, membranous. Flowers yellow, 4-6 mm long including spurs,
downwardly curved, 1-1.5x0.5-1mm, petal lobe is longer than spur
lobe (3- 4.5:1-1.5mm long). Sepals 2, caudocous, imbricate; petal 4,
3- 4.5x0.5-1 mm, imbricates, upper & lower petal tips are
suborbicular while inner are coherent at tips, lower are narrow.
Stamens 6, diadelphous, 3 on each side of carpel; filament 2.5-3 mm
long, anther 0.2-0.5mm long, middle anther dithecous and lateral
monothecous. Carpel ellipsoid, glabrous, ovary 1-1.5mm long, stigma
0.5-1 mm long, style 1.5-3 mm long. Nut suborbicular, rounded,
rugose, 2x2mm; seeds somewhat rounded brown, 1 in number, 1mm
in diameter
Histology:
Root - Root shows single layered epidermis, followed by 5 or 6 layers of cortex
consisting of thin-walled, rectangular, parenchymatous cells, outer I or 2 layers irregular
and brown in colour; endodermis not distinct; secondary phloem very narrow and
consisting of 2 or 3 rows with usual elements; central core shows a wide zone of xylem
and consists of usual elements; vessels mostly solitary having reticulate and spiral
thickening, medullary ray less developed and mostly uniseriate; fibres moderately long,
thick-walled, having narrow lumen and blunt tips.
Stem - Stem shows a pentagonal outline, having prominent angles composed of
collenchymatous cells; epidermis single layered of thin-walled, oblong, rectangular
cells, covered with thin cuticle; cortex narrow, composed of 2 to 4 layers of
chlorenchymatous cells endodermis not distinct; vascular bundles collateral, 5 or 6
arranged in a ring; each vascular bundle capped by a group of sclerenchymatous cells;
phloem consists of usual elements; xylem consists of vessels, tracheids, fibres and xylem
parenchyma; vessels much elongated, having reticulate, annular or spiral thickening or
simple pits; xylem fibres narrow elongated with pointed ends having a few simple pits;
centre either hollow or occupied by narrow pith consisting of thinwalled,
parenchymatous cells.
Leaf
Petiole - V -shaped outline; single layer epidermis consisting of thin-walled,
parenchymatous cells followed by ground tissue composed of thick-walled round, oval
or polygonal, parenchymatous cells, outer cells smaller than inner; collenchymatous
cells present at corners; three vascular bundle scattered in ground tissue, one central and
two in wings; vascular bundle consists of phloem and xylem, phloem capped with
fibrous sheath, lower epidermis single layered.
Lamina - Shows single layer epidermis on either side, consistmg of thin-walled,
rectangular, oval-shaped, parenchymatous cells; mesophyll composed of oval to
polygonal thin-walled parenchymatous cells, filled with green pigment and not
differentiated into palisade and spongy parenchyma; vascular bundles scattered
throughout the mesophyll; stomata anomocytic, present on both surfaces.
