Wood Comparative Anatomy of Four Annona Species (Annonaceae) in Southwestern Nigeria

• T. A. Abeegunrin

  Biological Sciences Department of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria

  Author

• D. O. Aworinde

  Biological Sciences Department of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria

  Author

Anatomical study was conducted on Annona muricata, Annona reticulata, Annona senegalensis and Annona squamosa in the family Annonaceae in search of the morpho-anatomical features of the wood that can be used to solve the identification problem faced by the species. Plant samples were collected from Oyo, Osun, Ogun and Ondo States in Southwestern, Nigeria. Transverse Section, Tangential Longitudinal Section and Radial Longitudinal Section of woods were made and observed using a light microscope. Macerates of the four species were done using a standard laboratory procedure, Schultze’s fluid to separate the tissues and cells. Macerates and cut sections were stained with Safranine O reagent to reveal the differences in tissue arrangement, shapes and cell inclusions. Photomicrographs of the slides were taken to observe the anatomical traits. Four species studied have common generic wood anatomical characters as well as specific delimiting characters: simple pitting of vessel elements and presence of uniseriate, biseriate and multiseriate rays, tylose, solitary vessel, axial parenchyma type, pore shape at transverse plane are oval, rectangular to cylindrical. Similarities observed in the quantitative and qualitative analyses showed a close inter-generic relationship among the species. This is envisaged to reduce the complexity earlier reported in the identification of the species.

1. T. A. Abeegunrin, Biological Sciences Department of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria

   Biological Sciences Department of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria

2. D. O. Aworinde, Biological Sciences Department of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria

   Biological Sciences Department of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, Ondo State, Nigeria

• PDF