| The leaf anatomy of c. 60 species of the four Asiatic genera of the Myristicaceae (Gymnacranthera, Horsfieldia, Knema and Myristica) is described in detail. Myristicaceae have characteristic, uniseriate hairs, the cells of which have arms. The number of arms per cell and the relative length of the arms are important characters to separate the Asiatic genera. The hairs of Knema can be classified further into different types. Many species of Myristicaceae have a layer of cutinaceous, alveolar material overlying the cuticle proper on the abaxial leaf surface. In angiosperms such a layer was hitherto only reported for Winteraceae. Guard cells are often embedded in the subsidiary cells. The paracytic stomatal complex in Knema and Myristica is sunken and... |
