HISTOLOGY OF THE EUROPEAN MANDRAKE (MANDR AGORA-AUTUMNALIS) - AN AMBIGUOUS BODY

The perennial and subterranean system of mandragora was studied by mea ns of classical histology (specially using hydrochloric acid-phloroglu cinol). The bulk of the hypertrophied and fleshy organ and its growth in girth results from the activity of a single and continuous vascular cambium. The fusiform initials are highly sinuous surrounding large n odules of short initials. The lignified derivatives that they only pro duce are rows of vessels mainly reticulated that are arranged in conce ntric rings. The vascular parenchyma is very abundant and rich in inso luble storage components (starch granules, proteins and lipidic drople ts). When the organ presents an horizontal part, the growth of the sec ondary tissues is excentric and a ''reaction wood'' is formed toward t he basal part ; it is devoid of fibers. The caulinar part (with superp osed primary xylem, central pith and internal phloem) is present only in the very apical region and thus represents a relatively small porti on of the body: it corresponds, precisely, to the ''neck'' of the anth ropomorphous figures traditionnally designed from the mandrake ; the ' 'shoulders'' correspond to the beginning of the actual non-pithed tape -root structure that is enlarged due a more intense cambial activity.