Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Comparative anatomy of five species of Senna Mill. (Leguminosae) from Bangladesh
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Research Articles | Published: 05 December, 2025
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Keywords: Senna, Anatomy, Trichome, Vascular bundle, Taxonomy
Abstract
This research examined the anatomical characteristics of five Senna Mill. species of the Leguminosae family from Bangladesh: S. alata (L.) Roxb., S. hirsuta (L.) Irwin & Barneby, S. occidentalis Roxb., S. sophera (L.) Roxb., and S. tora (L.) Roxb. for a better understanding of interspecific relations to help taxonomic identification in applied fields like pharmacology and phytotherapy. During the primary growth stage, no significant differences were observed in their root structures, although distinctive features appeared in the stem trichomes and leaf palisade parenchyma layers. In the secondary growth stage, these species generally showed similar root structures, with S. tora being an exception, characterized by a higher number of vessels and vascular rays. Notable differences were seen in secondary stem structure, especially in the cortex layers, trichomes, vascular bundles, and sclerenchyma patch shapes. Leaflet trichomes and stomata were prominent anatomical features at this stage, though mature leaflets of S. tora lacked trichomes entirely. Three stoma types: paracytic, anisocytic, and tetracytic were identified. Variations in xylem row count and palisade parenchyma layers were also recorded. Measurements of stem and leaf traits in mature plants indicated that S. occidentalis had the highest values across all parameters. Cluster analysis of anatomical features grouped the species into two main clusters.
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Author Information
Department of Botany, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh