Comparative Anatomical Studies of Some Genera of Cucurbitaceae Juss. Ajuru Mercy G.1, Okoli Bosa E.2,* 1Ph.D. Student, Department of Biology, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, P.M.B. 5047, Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria 2Professor, Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria *Email id: bosaeokoli@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract Comparative anatomical studies were carried out on four species of Cucurbitaceae Juss.: Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum and Nakai (watermelon and brown-seeded melon), Cucumis melo L. (true melon), Cucumeropsis mannii Naud. [Syn. C. edulis (Hooker f.) Cogn. (white-seeded melon)) and Cucurbita moschata (Duch. Ex Lam.) Duch. Ex Poiret (squash melon)] found in Nigeria. This work presents the anatomical features of the melons in this family together for the first time. Parts of each species (petioles, pedicels and tendrils) were hand-sectioned and observed using a photomicroscope. Additional anatomical features of taxonomic value are variations in the number of vascular bundles, the presence of schlerenchymatous pericycle and endodermal cells and the presence of sclerenchymatous sheath in the medullary rays of the pedicels. Top Keywords Anatomy, Citrullus, Cucumis, Cucurbita, Cucumeropsis, Cucurbitaceae, petioles, pedicels, tendrils. Top |