Leaf Anatomical Structure And Drought Resistance Of Ammopiptanthus Mongolicus And Ammopiptanthus Nanus

Adults of Ammopiptanthus mongolicus, Ammopiptanthus nanus and Ammopiptanthus mongolicus seedling are the study objects of this article. We aiming to discuss Ammopiptanthus leaf ecological adaptation mechanism in arid environment by comparing the Ammopiptanthus leaf anatomical structure which analyzed by the conventional paraffin section method. One-way ANOVA for the independent variables was conducted to detect trait differences among species and between ages. The allometric relationships between anatomical traits were also investigated. The major conclusions were described as follows:1. Ammopiptanthus nanus and Ammopiptanthus mongolicus were isobilateral leaf, which leaves have typical super xeromorphic structure. The leaves were small and thick. On the basis of the leaf anatomical morphology, we could observe sophisticated cuticula, epidermal cell, palisade tissue, vascular tissue and loose spongy tissue.2. The blade thickness of the Ammopiptanthus nanus and Ammopiptanthus mongolicus seedling didn’t show significant differences. Cuticula thickness, the thickness of the epidermal cells, palisade tissue thickness of the Ammopiptanthus nanus seedling is greater than the Ammopiptanthus mongolicus. Spongy tissue thickness, the diameter of the main vein, the main vein xylem thickness, the thickness of the main vein phloem of the Ammopiptanthus nanus seedling is extremely less than the Ammopiptanthus mongolicus seedling. The thickness of the epidermal cells and spongy tissue thickness of the adult Ammopiptanthus mongolicus was less than Ammopiptanthus mongolicus seedling. Other indexes are more than Ammopiptanthus mongolicus seedling’s.3. There was a significant positive correlation between leaf thickness and palisade tissue thickness. There was a weak correlation between leaf thickness and spongy tissue, cuticula, epidermal cell.4. The leaf anatomical characters of Ammopiptanthus showed the allometric relationships. The leaf thickness and palisade tissue thickness, palisade ratio and leaf thickness, the main vein diameter and leaf thickness showed positive allometric relationships. While, the thickness of epidermal cells and leaf thickness, sponge tissue thickness and palisade tissue thickness, the thickness of epidermal cells and palisade tissue thickness, the main vein diameter and sponge tissue thickness, stratum corneum and sponge tissue thickness, which five traits showed negative allometric relationships. The variance of the anatomical traits were different between Ammopiptanthus seedling. The leaf anatomical characters of allometric relationships have differences between ages among Ammopiptanthus mongolicus.