Arquitectura foliar y morfo-anatomía de la parte aérea de Austroeupatorium inulaefolium (Asteraceae) comercializada como medicinal en Paraguay

Abstract

Pereira Sühsner, Claudia D.; González, Fidelina; María Vera Jiménez. 2017. “Leaf architecture and morpho-anatomy of the aerial part of Austroeupatorium inulaefolium (Asteraceae) marketed as medicinal in Paraguay”. Lilloa 54 (1). Austroeupatorium inulaefolium (Kunth) R.M.King & H.Rob. (Asteraceae) is an herbaceous plant native to Paraguay, commonly known as “doctorcito”, and whose aerial par t is marketed as medicinal to treat stomach problems. In order to indicate the characters of diagnostic value for the quality control of the commercial samples, the present investigation had the objective to describe the morpho- anatomy of the aerial part and the foliar architecture. Samples were collected from Capiatá, Central Department – Paraguay. The morphological characterization was performed following the standard methodology with direct observation and the stereoscopic microscope. For the anatomical characterization the collected material was previously fixed in FAA. The sections were made with a manual rotary microtome and stained with safranin (1%). A. inulaefolium has an erect, puberulent and striated stalk; single leaf, ovate-oblong, pubescent, margin sawed, and trinervated. The anatomical characteristics of the Asteraceae family are such as the unistrata epidermis, bifacial mesophyll with dorsiventral symmetry, presence of secretory channels, among others. The types of stomata, types of glandular and eglandular trichomes present in stems and leaves, and leaf architecture are mentioned as high diagnostic charac - ters. Although secretory channels are characteristic of the family, they could be considered as a diagnostic feature, considering that their position in the mesophyll may be associated with secondary vascular bundles and inserted in the parenchymal sheath, and present on the adaxial or abaxial side of the same, but never simultaneously.