PJB-2018-634
STUDIES OF THE WOOD AND PHYTOCHEMISTRY OF SOME NIGERIAN ALKALOID-RICH STRYCHNOS SPECIES
ASUZU, CHINWE UCHECHUKWU
Abstract
The wood of three Nigerian species of Strychnos Linn. growing in different ecological zones was studied. The transverse, transverse longitudinal and radial longitudinal sections were made with the sliding sledge microtome. The wood was macerated for measurement of fiber and vessel dimensions. Wood was diffuse porous and intraxylary phloem occurred in the three species. Interxylary phloem in discontinuous ring occurred in the xylem cylinder of S. innocua Del. and S. usambarensis Gilg. Parenchyma is paratracheal and forms aliform to confluent patterns in S. spinosa Lam. Vessel elements occur singly and in radial and tangential multiples of two to four. The micro morphological features in each species were useful in making them adapt to the climatic conditions of the ecological zones where they grow. Key words: Interxylary phloem, Intraxylary phloem, Strychnos spinosa, S. innocua, S. usambarensis
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