Ciri Anatomi Stip Bagi Beberapa Spesies Davallia (Davalliaceae) di Malaysia

A study on the stipe anatomy was undertaken on seven species of Davallia namely D. denticulata, D. divaricata, D. trichomanioides var. trichomanioides, D. trichomanioides var. lorrainii, D. corniculata, D. repens and D. solida var. solida to investigate variation in stipe anatomical characteristics. Method used in this study was cross sectioned using sliding microtome. Our results showed that stip anatomical characteristics such as stipe outline, patterns of schlerenchyma cells under epidermal layers, stele types and shapes, number of vascular bundles, number of parenchyma cell layers and in the presence of wings on the adaxial side of stipe, could be used in differentiation and identification of species. Common characters in all species studied were the presence of schlerenchyma cells below the epidermal layers and also ensheathed the steles, and the presence of parenchyma cells with thick wall. Diagnostic characteristics found in this study were a single wing found on the adaxial side of middle stipe in D. trichomanioides var. lorrainii, patterns of schlerenchyma cell layers underneath epidermal cells; pattern 4 in D. repens, pattern 3 in D. solida var. solida, pattern 5 and 7 in D. corniculata, dorsiventral protostele only found in D. divaricata, and arch-shaped of vascular bundles in the upper, lower and middle stipe only found in D. trichomanioides var. trichomanioides. Our results showed that stipe anatomical characteristics have taxonomic value in Davallia and can be used as additional data for species differentiation and species identification.