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The epidermal characters of leaves and anatomical characters of petioles and young stems of some members of the genus Chrysophyllum, viz. C. albidum, C. perpulchrum, C. cainito, and C. delevoyi were analyzed to determine their diagnostic features. Paracytic stomata, crystal sand, prismatic crystals, secretory canals occurred in all the species. All the species are hypostomatic except C. perpulchrum. The midribs of all species have an open semi-circular vascular system except in C. cainito with a closed system. Midrib and petiole of C. albidum and C. cainito have non-glandular T-shaped trichomes. Accessory bundles are only seen in the petioles of C. delevoyi, and in the midribs of C. albidum and C. cainito. The midrib and petiole of C. delevoyi and C. albidum have a central bundle. Laticifers, prismatic and sand crystals occur mainly in the cortical cells, pith cells, xylem, phloem, and mesophyll. Lamina of all species studied showed uniseriate epidermis except C. cainito which has two layers of the adaxial epidermis. The stomatal index, the ratio of the spongy to palisade mesophyll thickness, the ratio of cortex thickness, outline, number, and arrangement of the vascular bundles in the midrib, petiole, and young stem differ and are valuable diagnostic features in Chrysophyllum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparative morphological and anatomical studies of stem, leaf, and petiole of the three common Boerhavia species found in Nigeria were carried out to determine the taxonomic significance of these characters. No clear intraspecific variation was observed among the studied species on the basis of their morphological attributes and trichome types. However, the epidermal and anatomical features were diagnostic. Differences in the stomata type made the species distinct. Also, the occurrence of raphide in their leaf lamina, the number of vascular bundles in midrib and stem, and the presence, shape, and clustering of macrosclereids in the leaf epidermis varied from one species to another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]