ABSTRACT
Objective To compare the pharmacognosy characteristics of aerial roots of Ficus microcarpa Linn.f. and Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem.. Methods Fresh aerial roots were harvested and were used as the experimental samples. Stereoscopy was used for the observation of macroscopic appearance of Ficus microcarpa Linn.f. and Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem.,and the microscope was used for the examination of their microscopic features of the velamen surface, cross section of root tip, cross section and longitudinal section of the posterior root, and powder. Results The appearance characteristics of the two species were as follows:the number of aerial roots of Ficus microcarpa Linn. f. was more,and the diameter was smaller than that of Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem. The root tips of Ficus microcarpa Linn. f. aerial roots were light yellow turning to yellow-white, covered with gray or yellowish-white lenticels;the root tips of Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem. aerial roots were light yellow or yellow, covered with gray lenticels. Microscopic identification results of the two plants were as follows:the primary xylems of transverse section of root tips and posterior roots of Ficus microcarpa Linn.f. and Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem. were different,the former being five to seven heptarch,and the latter being six to eleven heptarch. Both of the two species had non-articulated unbranched laticifers in their longitudinal section of posterior root, and the diameter of Ficus. elastica Roxb. ex Hornem. was slightly larger than that of Ficus microcarpa Linn. f.. The powder of Ficus microcarpa Linn. f. was red brown,with spiral and pitted vessels;Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem. was yellow brown,with single small and large pitted vessels,and the color of its fiber was shallow or nearly colorless or even transparent, with lines of cluster crystal. Conclusion The results will provide evidence for the identification , exploitation and utilization of Ficus microcarpa Linn . f . and Ficus elastica Roxb. ex Hornem.
ABSTRACT
Objective To find out evidence for the identification of the aerial roots of Ficus microcarpa Linn. f. and F. altissima Bl.. Methods The fresh aerial roots of the two kinds of plants were collected. The appearance traits were observed by stereoscopy. The velamen surface, cross section of root tip, cross section of the posterior root and powder of two kinds of aerial roots were observed under microscope. Results The number of aerial roots of F. microcarpa Linn. f. was more than that of F. altissima Bl., while the diameter was less than that of F. altissima Bl.. Differences were shown in primary xylems of the transverse section of root tip and posterior root of the two kinds of aerial roots, there were 5-7 vascular bundles in F. microcarpa Linn. f. and 7-10 vascular bundles in F. altissima Bl.. As for the powder, the powder of F. microcarpa Linn. f. was yellowish brown, while that of F. altissima Bl. was reddish brown; F. altissima Bl. had more fibers and longer diameter than F. microcarpa Linn. f. and had cluster crystals in order. Conclusion The appearance and microstructure features showed by the results can be used to distinguish the aerial roots of F. microcarpa Linn. f. and F. altissima Bl..