Abstract
The leaves of Helianthus bolanderi A. Gray (family: Asteraceae) were collected from Karachi University Campus, Karachi and were studied for foliar micromorphology through epidermal impressions under compound optical microscope. Leaves were amphitrichomic. There were two types of trichomes; non-glandular were long multicellular (2 to 7-celled) with apical cell tapering in a sharp point. They were appressed with the leaf surface and directed to the apex. Glandular (presumably) trichomes were 3-celled with apical cell apically rounded. The trichome density was larger on ventral surface (49.51 ± 1.69 per mm2 ) compared to that on the dorsal side (21.52 ± 1.02 per mm2 ). As per Prabhakar’s (2004) scheme of stomatal classification, there were several types of stomata - tetracytic, anomocytic, anisocytic, staurocytic, isotricytic and anisotricytic types. Tetracytic type was the most abundant. Stomatal density on dorsal surface averaged to 165.52 ± 4.70, varying from 88-256 stomata per mm2 .
