(Taxonomic Value of Leaf Anatomical Characterisctics in Schoutenia Korth. (Malvaceae subfam. Brownlowioideae)

Leaf anatomy and micromorphology study was carried out on five selected taxa in the genus Schoutenia Korth. of Malvaceae subfam. Brownlowioideae. The five chosen taxa were S. kunstleri, S. leprosula, S. accrescens subsp. accrescens, S. accrescens subsp. borneensis and S. accrescens subsp. stellata. The leaf anatomy study involved procedures such as cross sections using sliding microtome on the petioles, lamina, midribs and marginal, leaf clearing, leaf epidermis mechanical scrapping and observation under light microscope. Leaf micromorphology study involved procedures such as dehydration, critical point drying, gold coating and observation under scanning electron microscope. The objective of the study was to investigate the taxonomic value of leaf anatomical and micromorphological characteristics of the genus Schoutenia. Findings in this study have shown that there were nine common characters present in all the species studied, seven variable characters that can be used in species differentiation and two diagnostic characters are useful in identification of S. kunstleri via cuticular ornamentation and S. accrescens subsp. stellata via the presence of collenchyma lamella. This study showed that leaf anatomical and micromorphological characteristics have taxonomic value in the genus Schoutenia and can be used in species and subspecies differentiation.