THE FOLIAR ANATOMY AND MORPHOLOGY OF 2 SCRUB SPECIES IN RELATION TO FOREST COLONIZATION OF FYNBOS ON TABLE MOUNTAIN (SOUTH-AFRICA)

The present investigation deals with forest dynamics in a forest prote cted from disturbance for over 50 years. Adaptation of two scrub speci es by foliar anatomy and morphology was investigated between the fores t and fynbos habitats. The present study tends towards redressing the dearth of leaf anatomical and to a lesser extent morphological data wi th ecological disposition among some scrub forest species. Maytenus ol eoides presented a cuticle twice as thick thick in the fynbos than in the forest interior. The adaxial cuticle of Maytenus oleoides was twic e as thick as the abaxial cuticle. Stomatal frequency was 12% higher i n the fynbos than in either forest interior or forest margin. Stomatal frequency increased from stream to non-stream habitat. It appears tha t Maytenus oleoides and Euclea parvifolia are xerophytic species. More over results suggest that Maytenus oleoides is a genetic pioneer lacki ng phenotypic platicity of forest precursor species. Quantitative data include features such as the thickness of the cuticle, epidermal cell size and stomatal frequency and length.