Micromorphological and Phytochemical Studies on Cleome rutidosperma Linn.

The study was carried out to determine the micromorphological structure and quantify the phytochemical components of Cleome rutidosperma Linn. The study revealed the presence of five stomatal types (anomocytic, staurocytic, tetracytic, anisocytic and isotricytic) and polar contiguous stomata on both abaxial and adaxial surface of the leaf of C. rutidosperma. The shapes of the adaxial epidermal cells are relatively regular while the abaxial epidermal cells are irregular. There are fewer stomata on the adaxial epidermal surface than the abaxial surface. The range of the stomatal index (SI) on the adaxial and abaxial surfaces is between 3.85-20.0 and 63.64-84.21 respectively. Cleome rutidosperma has eglandular trichomes which occur on the leaf surfaces and stem of the plant; these trichomes are disrriate or trisariate with multicellular base. The petiole has five U-shaped free open collateral vascular bundles. The midrib is U-shaped adaxially and contains 5-free vascular bundles which formed a semicircle. The adaxial and abaxial epidermis have single layer of cell with 4-5 and 4-6 layers of parenchymatous cells, respectively. The upper parenchyma comprised 3-4 layers of cell while lower parenchyma has 4-7 layers of cells. The fruit stalk comprised 7-vascular bundles in a concentric ring. The cuticle is undulated with one-layer of epidermis and 3-4 layers of parenchymatous cells. The stem is pentagonal with 18-20 vascular bundles in a concentric ring. The epidermis has 1-layer of cell, collenchymatous cells 1-3 layers and parenchyma cells 1-4 layers but up to 6-10 layers the angles or protruded ends. The quantitative analysis of the phytochemicals showed that the C. rutidosperma contains 1.64% alkaloid, 2.84% flavonoid, 0.145% tannin, 3.25% saponin, 30 mg/kg cyanogenic glycoside, 48.8 mg/g oxalate while phytate was not detected. These micromorphological information recorded in this work can be used to distinguish C. rutidosperma from other members of the genus and are therefore of taxonomic value. Also, the presence of these phytochemicals could account for its use by the local communities in south-east Nigeria for the treatment of ear infection and other illnesses.