Summary and Conclusions
The root apical organization of seven species belonging to six genera of the family Palmeæ has been investigated and reported.
The structural organization in these species falls under three types, one with a common group of initials for all the histogens, the second where the initials are common for the dermatogen and calyptrogen while the rest arise from a common group at the centre, and a third, where there are independent initials for plerome and root-cap and a common tier for the dermatogen and periblem.
On the basis of this, a tentative suggestion is made regarding the evolutionary trend of the root apical organization in these.
The cell complexes are analysed.
The meristem concerned with the formation of the two parts of the calyptra is distinguished into two zones, the peripheral region outside and the columellogen in the centre, on the basis of the types of cell division.
The endodermis is traced in its origin to an endodermis-periblem complex.
The cyto-physiological state of the cells at the root apices when studied showed that a quiescent centre is present at the extreme tip of the root body. This is surrounded on the side of the root body by a group of cells which appear to be the real site of histogenetic activity, named the meristematic zone.
The inadequacy of limiting the study of root apices to the structural configuration alone, and of combining it with other aspects like the cytophysiological state of the cells, is once again exemplified.
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Communicated by Prof. T. S. Sadasivan,f.a.sc.
This forms part of this author’s doctoral thesis.
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Pillai, S.K., Pillai, A. Root apical organization in monocotyledons—Palmeae. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 54, 218–233 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03051050
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03051050