Authors:Lybeer, B; Acker, J van; Goetghebeur, P
Abstract:Bamboos are perennial monocarps with Long flowering intervals. To use floral morphology for species identification is difficult, because floral material is not always available. Anatomical characters may be used instead offloral traits for plant identification. However, in America there are few anatomical studies on woody bamboo species. Anatomical studies on two native neotropieal bamboo species were made and unique traits of each species that can be used to help in their classification are presented. A complete description and comparative analysis of the anatomical characters of leaf, culm and root for Chusquea ramosissima and C. tellella are presented. Both species shared common characteristics to other members of Bambusoideae such as equal shape and position of silica cell in the leaf epidermis, presence of epidermal appendages, amphistomatic leaves and structure of culm vascular bundles. Both the species exhibited differences such as semi-massive culms. unique spatial structure of metaxylem vessels in the roots and abundant papillae in epidermal eells of C. tell ella, or in C. ramosissima. second and third order leaf's vascular bundles and peri cycle with more than five rows of cells
Keywords:bamboos; cell walls; epidermis; stems; tropics.