BIOMATHEMATICAL STUDY ON THE NUMBER OF PE LTATE GLANDS ON MENTHA X PIPERITA LEAVES

The enumeration of peltate glands on Mentha x piperata leaves was carr ied out with respect to the date of leaf initiation and the state of i ts development. For this purpose, observations were made using scannin g electron microscopy associated with a mathematical method based on a precise description of gland dispersal on the leaf blade surface. The number of glands can thus be estimated by using only a few photograph s of the foliar region located at 215 of the leaf length, measuring fr om the base. The analyses demonstrate a consistency in the number of p eltate glands for a given foliar verticil, when the leaf height is equ al to or greater than 10 mm. Furthermore, these analyses indicate that the number of peltate glands vary as a function of the level of the f oliar verticil. This number increases progressively in verticils 1 to 10, stabilizes, and then decreases in the last verticils produced. Thi s reduction may originate in the meristematic activity that is gradual ly oriented towards efflorescence.