Abstract:
Leaf architectural characteristics (vein architecture, epidermal architecture, and anatomical architecture) of five species of
Cymbidium (
Cymbidium goeringii (Rchb. f.) Rchb. f,
C. faberi Rolfe,
C. ensifolium (L.) Sw.,
C. kanran Makino, and
C. sinense (Jackson ex Andr.) Willd.) were observed and measured using optical microscopy and stereomicroscopy. Results showed that among the five plants, vein architectures were similar but there were significant differences in the epidermal and anatomical architectures, mainly in the quantity of fiber bundles and structure of stratum corneum edge. Based on cluster analysis of the leaf structure characteristics, the five species of orchid could be divided into
C. goeringii formation,
C. ensifolium formation, and
C. sinense formation. This study showed that leaf structure characteristics have great significance for the classification of these five species of
Cymbidium.