Anatomi rizom dan stip genus Pleocnemia Presl (Tectariaceae) di Semenanjung Malaysia

Cross-section of the stipe and rhizome was done using sliding microtome. Stipe anatomical characteristics such as stipe outline, pattern of schlerenchyma cells under epidermal layers, stele types and shapes and rhizome anatomical characteristics such as presence of tanniferous idioblast cells, presence and types of trichomes were useful for species identification. The shared characters in all the Pleocnemia species studied were the presence of schlerenchyma cells below the epidermal layers and surrounding the steles, complex steles shape and primitive protestele (round). Diagnostic characteristics found in this study were stipe outline, number of schlerenchyma cell layers below the epidermal cells, presence of tanniferous idioblast cells in P. irregularis and P. hemiteliiformis and the different types of trichomes in all the four species. These diagnostic characters were useful for identification of the studied species. The present study showed that stipe and rhizome anatomical characteristics have taxonomic value in Pleocnemia and are useful support data for species differentiation and identification.