Estudo morfoanatômico dos órgãos vegetativos aéreos de Vitex agnus-castus L. (VERBENACEAE).

Abstract

Vitex agnus-castus L. is scientifically and popularly used in the treatment of female reproductive system disorders. Because it is an important medicinal species, this work sought to describe the morphoanatomy of its aerial vegetative organs. For this, the material collected was fixed at FAA70, TNF and 2.5% glutaraldehyde. Samples of the first two fixtures were designed to studies in optical microscopy, by epidermis dissociation, maceration and histologic sections. The samples were fixed in glutaraldehyde for SEM observations. It was found that the species has characteristics common to the family Verbenaceae cross-like leaves opposite, compound, petiolate, leaflets, lanceolate, hairy, brochidodromous venation; hypostomatic; anomocytic stomata; dorsiventral mesophyll, parenchyma sheath extensions, angular collenchyma/ring; stem herbaceous and square when the elevated presence of trichomes. These were classified into three types of tector and seven of glandular. Being the type II alone can identify the organ analyzed. The petiole and stem petiolule demonstrated to be superior to the limbus for the exploration of the glandular thichome. In relation to their stages of development showed that different stages of the same type of trichomes may occur simultaneously in the same region. As for the anatomical characteristics of leaf structures, the cortical region appears to be broad in pulvinus, and pulvinule petiolule and reduced in the petiole. The opposite occurs in the medullary region, where it is shown in the petiole broad and reduced in other structures. The vascular bundles of these structures are bicollateral in the petiole, and petiolule pulvínulo amphicribral and the pulvinus. The wood has some distinct growth layers, individualized by fibrous areas darker transverse arrangement; diffuse, simple perforation plate and scalariform, intervessel pitting and radio-vascular, thick fibers with spindle cell type, without scores. The descriptions of the pulvinus, petiolule, pulvinule and wood are unknown for the species.