To examine the leaf epidermal microstructures in the genera Polygonum L. s. str. and Polygonella Michx. (Polygonaceae), leaves of 16 species including 1 subspecies and 1 variety (28 specimens in total) were investigated by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The stomata of taxa were amphistomatic, crescent shape and the size range was 10-25 ㎛. The stomatal type of Polygonum sect. Polygonum leaf epidermis was mostly anisocytic but, rarely present together with anisocytic, paracytic and anomocytic; P. sect. Tephis-anisocytic; P. sect. Duravia-mostly anisocytic, rarely combined with anisocytic and anomocytic; Polygonella subg. Thysanella-anisocytic; Polygonella subg. Polygonella-anisocytic. Leaves of the examined taxa are mostly glabrous, but sometimes the conical or oval shape of unicellular trichome is present in some taxa (i.e. sect. Tephis, sect. Duravia). The shapes of epidermal cells are similar in both adaxial and abaxial sides, and are mostly straight polygonal, except for sect. Duravia which is undulate. Epicuticle was well developed in sect. Tephis. Wax rodlets and platelets are present in some species of sect. Polygonum, sect. Duravia and subg. Polygonella. The taxonomic significance of the leaf micromorphological features (epidermal cell shape, epicuticle, trichome) in identificaton and elucidation of taxa within Polygonum s. str. and Polygonella is discussed.
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