Scleria levis Retz.

• Authority

  Koyama, Tetsuo M. 1967. The systematic significance of leaf structure in the tribe Sclerieae (Cyperaceae). Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 16: 46-70.

• Family

  Cyperaceae

• Scientific Name

  Scleria levis Retz.

• Description

  Species Description - Leaf blades inversely W-shaped, with thickened margins; costas 5, including a marginal pair. Epidermal cells at median adaxial costa inflated, longitudinally rectangular to oblong, occasionally some of those cells accompanied by small translucent hypodermal cells. Cells of other portions of adaxial epidermis uniformly square; abaxial epidermis consisting of low transversely rectangular cells. Mesophyll with a few scattered tannin cells, not distinctly differentiated into palisade and spongy portions, one layer of assimilatory tissue beneath adaxial epidermis palisade-like, the rest of mesophyll consisting of irregularly oriented transversely oblong cells and slightly lobed cells, with scattered small intercellular spaces. Vascular bundles in one row, the large bundles as tall as the thickness of mesophyll, supported by adaxial and abaxial low girders; inner bundle sheath of lignified small cells; outer bundle sheath with thin-walled cells, not noticeably larger than those of the inner sheath. Twin vascular bundles noted in the marginal thickened portions of both sides of blades; the large vascular bundles vertical, supported by adaxial and abaxial girders, the small bundle slightly oblique, with an adaxial low girder.

• Discussion

  Note. The structure of the thickened portions of both margins of leaf blades recalls the structure of the adnation area in the winged blades, especially in the arrangement of the twin vascular bundles and in the fact that the larger vascular bundle of the twin is supported by comparatively well developed girders at both ends of the bundle.