Leaf epidermal features of four Philippine plants as indicators of cement dust pollution.
Panes V. A., Zamora P. M.
Author Affiliation: College of Science, Centro Escolar University, Mendiola, Manila, Philippines.
Philippine Journal of Science 120 : 249-267
Abstract : Leaves of Bougainvillea spectabilis, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, mango and guava were sampled from the vicinities of 3 cement factories and from 3 relatively unpolluted areas (control sites) and compared in terms of (1) stomatal density, (2) stomatal size, (3) trichome density and (4) trichome length. Quantitative measurements and statistical analysis using the MANOVA and Waller-Duncan K-ratio t-test revealed some significant differences between leaves from cement factory sites and control sites. Guava leaves from some of the cement factory sites had higher stomatal densities and longer trichomes than those from control sites and H. rosa-sinensis leaves from the cement factory sites had lower stomatal densities than controls. In B. spectabilis and mangoes, there were no significant differences in these 4 morphological features between plants from the factory sites and controls, but in both species, SEM showed that epicuticular wax was much more abundant on the leaves from the factory sites. In H. rosa-sinensis, wax almost completely blocked most of the stomata on leaves from the cement factory sites, whereas the stomata on leaves from control sites were only partially blocked.