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A novel insight into the structure of amphivasal secondary bundles on the example of Dracaena draco L. stem

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Pattern of tracheids found along the bundles extends understanding of their cross - sectional anatomy and sheds a new light on the issue of radial transport in monocotyledons with secondary growth.

Abstract

Secondary growth of Dracaena draco L. stem is connected with the formation of amphivasal vascular bundles in which a centrally located phloem is surrounded by a ring of xylem cells (tracheids). However, as visible in a single transverse section, there is a tendency towards variation among the secondary bundles from such with a xylem ring to ones in which the tracheids do not completely surround the phloem, i.e., are separated by vascular parenchyma cells. We aimed to elucidate the cross-sectional anatomy of amphivasal secondary bundles using the method of serial sectioning (with sections 3 μm thick), which allowed us to follow very precisely the bundle structure along its length. The analysis revealed that the xylem arrangement in these bundles depends on the position of a section in the bundle path. Each amphivasal bundle is composed of sectors where tracheids form a ring, as well as of such where tracheids are separated by vascular parenchyma cells. We hypothesize that this structure of amphivasal vascular bundles facilitates radial transport of assimilates to the sink tissues. The result of the anatomical analysis is discussed in a physiological context.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Prof. Wiesław Włoch for his comments on the manuscript. Part of this research was financed by the Polish National Science Center, Grant Number N N303807540.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Polish Academy of Sciences Botanical Garden, Centre for Biological Diversity Conservation in Powsin, Prawdziwka 2, 02-973, Warsaw, Poland

    Joanna Jura-Morawiec

  2. Department of Plant Taxonomy, Adam Mickiewicz University of Poznań, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland

    Justyna Wiland-Szymańska

Authors
  1. Joanna Jura-Morawiec
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  2. Justyna Wiland-Szymańska
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Joanna Jura-Morawiec.

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Communicated by M. Shane.

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Jura-Morawiec, J., Wiland-Szymańska, J. A novel insight into the structure of amphivasal secondary bundles on the example of Dracaena draco L. stem. Trees 28, 871–877 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-014-1000-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-014-1000-7

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