Micromorphological study of Cordia sinensis Lam. from the Northern Western Ghats, India

The genus Cordia L. is a medicinally important taxon. Cordia sinensis Lam., which is endemic to the Western Ghats of India, is a potential medicinal plant and is presumed to have similar biochemical activities. Since the species is consumed mainly in crude form, it is difficult to establish the identity based on only mature leaf and stem characters. A significant study has been carried out to authenticate the identity of the Cordia genus based on foliar anatomical characters. The anatomical sections of a leaf transverse section and petiole transverse section of the species were observed under the bright-field compound microscope, and observations were documented. Though the diagrammatic outline of the leaf sections is similar, detailed anatomical characters are significantly different. The structure and number of the trichomes are observed abaxial and adaxial sides of the leaves. The trichomes were also found to be valuable characters for identification. In the case of leaf, the number and arrangement of vascular bundles, arrangement of collenchyma at the lower epidermis, palisade cells, and distribution of storage cells are the major characteristics to differentiate other species of Cordia. During the study, we also observed the detailed characters of the cuticular layer, trichomes, and stomatal characters. Rananculious type stomata and the presence of cystoliths in the basal cell of the trichome are the common characteristics observed in the studied species. Based on the preliminary study, the species can be differentiated based only on foliar anatomical characters.