CHARACTERIZATION OF THE LEAF EPIDERMIS OF BARLEY (HORDEUM-VULGARE L HIMALAYA)

The cell types of mature leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. 'Himalay a') are described. Blade and sheath epidermal cell types were characte rized according to their position relative to the veins, stomatal rows , and sclerenchyma cells. Cells over Veins were further classified acc ording to the size of vein. Cell lengths of the approx. 15 different c ell types ranged from approximately 50 mu m to over 2 mm. The principa l difference in cell length between the abaxial and adaxial surfaces w as seen for cells lying between the veins; on the adaxial surface thes e cells (bulliform cells) were about 200 mu m long whereas those on th e abaxial surface were over 2 mm in length. Total file number across t he blade width was the same on the abaxial and adaxial surfaces. Howev er, there were more cells lying over veins than between Veins on the a daxial surface, and vice versa for the abaxial surface. The detailed d escription of leaf epidermal cell types of barley in this study provid es the basis for comparison with mutants which differ in leaf length ( Wenzel et al., Annals of Botany 79: 45-50, 1997). (C) 1997 Annals of B otany Company