Development of cambial variant and parenchyma proliferation in Hewittia malabarica (Convolvulaceae) from India and South Africa

What is it about?

• Hewittia malabarica (Convolvulaceae) a woody liana increases in stem thickness by forming neo-formed vascular cylinders external to regular cambium. • Though, samples collected from two different continents, increase in stem thickness and formation of neo-formed vascular cylinders remains same. • Neo-formed vascular cylinders fail to interconnect; therefore, several vascular cylinder form a ring external to regular xylem. • In thick stems, wide rays undergo proliferation that results in the development of ray cambium and differentiates into conducting elements of phloem. • Ray proliferation connected the pith with the cortex. • Development of cambial variant, intraxylary phloem, vessel dimorphism, perforated rays, bordered pits in xylem rays and formation of tyloses in fibriform vessels is discussed.

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