Tütüncü Konyar Sevil, Öztürk Necla, Dane Feruzan
Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Trakya University, Edirne, 22030, Turkey.
Bot Stud. 2014 Dec;55(1):32. doi: 10.1186/1999-3110-55-32. Epub 2014 Mar 15.
Calcium oxalate crystals, which are found in many organs of plants, have different morphological forms: as druses, prism, styloids, raphides and crystal sand. In this study, the distribution, type and specific location of calcium oxalate crystals in the leaves and stems of the eight species of poisonous plants and one species of nonpoisonous plant were investigated with light microscopy. During study special attention was given to the possible correlation between the presence and types of calcium oxalate crystals and toxic plant organs. The plants examined in this study were Hedera helix L. (Araliaceae), Aristolochia clematitis L. (Aristolochiaceae), Humulus lupulus L. (Cannabaceae), Saponaria officinalis L. (Caryophyllaceae), Chelidonium majus L. (Papaveraceae), Hypericum perforatum L. (Hypericaceae), Tribulus terrestris L. (Zygophyllaceae), Cynanchum acutum L. (Asclepiadaceae), and Nerium oleander L. (Apocynaceae).
Three types of crystals: druses, prismatic crystals and crystal sands were observed. Druses were identified in the leaves and stems of six species of studied plants. In contrast to druses, crystal sands and prismatic crystals were rare. Prismatic crystals were observed in the leaf mesophlly cells of both Nerium oleander and Cynanchum acutum. However, crystal sands were observed only in the pith tissue of Humulus lupulus. On the other hand, leaves and stems of Chelidonium majus, Aristolochia clematitis and Hypericum perforatum were devoid of crystals.
There is no absolute correlation between the presence and type of calcium oxalate crystals and toxic plant organs. However druse crystals may function as main irritant in toxic organs of the plants.
草酸钙晶体存在于植物的许多器官中,具有不同的形态:如簇晶、棱柱体、针晶体、单晶和晶砂。在本研究中,利用光学显微镜研究了8种有毒植物和1种无毒植物的叶片和茎中草酸钙晶体的分布、类型和具体位置。研究过程中特别关注了草酸钙晶体的存在和类型与有毒植物器官之间可能存在的相关性。本研究中检测的植物有常春藤(五加科)、马兜铃(马兜铃科)、啤酒花(大麻科)、肥皂草(石竹科)、白屈菜(罂粟科)、贯叶连翘(金丝桃科)、刺蒺藜(蒺藜科)、尖叶白前(萝摩科)和夹竹桃(夹竹桃科)。
观察到三种类型的晶体:簇晶、棱柱体晶体和晶砂。在6种被研究植物的叶片和茎中发现了簇晶。与簇晶不同,晶砂和棱柱体晶体很少见。在夹竹桃和尖叶白前的叶肉细胞中观察到了棱柱体晶体。然而,仅在啤酒花的髓组织中观察到了晶砂。另一方面,白屈菜、马兜铃和贯叶连翘的叶片和茎中没有晶体。
草酸钙晶体的存在和类型与有毒植物器官之间没有绝对的相关性。然而,簇晶可能是植物有毒器官中的主要刺激物。