Research On Leaf Structures And Adaptabilities Of Common Garden Plants In Ficus

The observation of foliar anatomical structure and epidermis aspects of13ficus plants were demonstrated by paraffin method and scanning electron microscopy(SEM), Comprehensive results showed:Among the13ficus plants, the leaves of11species are bifacial leaves and those of2species are isobilateral leaves, and there are secretory cells in mesophyll, Stomatas were both found in lower epidermis.Ficus elastica’ ecora Burgundy’, F. elastica var.Variegata, F. elastica, F. altissima.,F microcarpa’ Golden Leaves’, F. benjamina’Golden Princess’, F. drupacea, F. pandurata,F. benjamina, F. stenophylla and F. microcarpa were obvious differentiated to palisade tissue and sponge tissue in the mesophyll. The11species had2to5layers epidermis both on the upper and lower epidermis, F. elastica’Decora Burgundy’ and F. elastica var. variegata had the upper epidermis of4to5layers, F. elastica, F. altissima and F microcarpa’ Golden Leaves’ with3to4layers, F. benjamina’Golden Princess’, F. drupacea, F. pandurata, F. benjamina, F. stenophylla and F. microcarpa with2to3layers. Stomatas were invagination, the guard cells, with the second or third layer cells of lower epidermis, exist in the same plane together.while F. virens var. sublanceolata and F. religiosa were not differentiated to palisade tissue and sponge tissue, the2species had only1layer of epidermis, the guard cells together with the cells of the first layer of lower epidermis exist in the same plane or swell.Scanning electron microscopy showed that F. elastica’ Decora Burgundy’, F. elastica var. Variegata, F. elastica, F. altissima, F. microcarpa’ Golden Leaves’, F. benjamina’Golden Princess’, F. drupacea, F. pandurata, F. benjamina, F. stenophylla and F. microcarpa have outer stomatal rims, and their stomas are sunken, while F. virens var. sublanceolata and F. religiosa don’t have outer stomatal rims, and their stomas are upward.According to thickness of leaf, upper epidermis thickness, lower epidermis thickness, stomata density, size of the first layer cells of upper multiple epidermis, size of the first layer cells of lower multiple epidermis, were variance analyzed and the single factor multiple comparisons between two cultivars were calculated. The result showed that differences of each anatomical leaf structure index among the11Ficus plants were extremely significant; the11ficus plants were adapt to xeric environment:F. elastica’Decora Burgundy’> F. elastica> F. altissima> F. elastica var. variegate> F. drupacea> F. pandurata> F. stenophylla> F. microcarpa’ Golden Leaves’> F. benjamina> F. benjamina’ Golden Princess’> F. microcarpa. F. virens var. sublanceolata and F. religiosa were thin, with large cells of upper and lower epidermis, The horny layer of epidermis was very thin, without multiple epidermis and outer stomatal rims, and their stomas were upward. According to some morphological characteristics of leaves, F. virens var. sublanceolata and F. religiosa can only grow well in the air humidity and high temperature region.