PJB-2020-392
Structural and histochemical analysis of Eichhornia crassipes
Cunyu Zhou
Abstract
The water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), a free-floating aquatic macrophyte, is invasive in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. Using brightfield and epifluorescence microscopy, we investigated the anatomical structures and histochemical features that permit this species to float freely, and to successfully invade new aquatic environments. The roots of E. crassipes had a lignified endodermis with Casparian walls and no suberin, as well as a lignified cortex and hypodermis. The stems possessed a thin cuticle, and lignified sclerenchyma delimited the central cylinder with scattered vascular bundles. Air spaces were present in the intercellular spaces; lysigenous aerenchymas were observed in the root cortices, while schizo-lysigenous aerenchymas and protoxylem lacunae were observed in the shoots. Key structural features of the water hyacinth, including the dense fine roots with lignified corticies and hypodermises, as well as the lysigenous and schizo-lysigenous aerenchymas, may allow this plant to float freely and invade new aquatic environments. Thus, our study identified the anatomical features that allow the water hyacinth to thrive in aquatic environments.
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