Histo-anatomy and Morphology of the Aquatic Plant Bacopa amplexicaulis ((Pursh) Wettst.), B. lanigera (Cham. & Schltdl.) Wettst and B. rotundifolia (Michx.) Wettst.
Nidaul Izzah 1), Media Fitri Isma Nugraha 2), Retno Lestari 1)

1. Dept. of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia. Depok, Indonesia
2. National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN), Jakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

Genus Bacopa is known as an ornamental water plant in aquascape design. This study examined the differences in morphological and anatomical characteristics in the roots, stems, and leaves of three Bacopa species, namely B. amplexicaulis, B. lanigera, and B. rotundifolia. The identification of morphological structure was referred based on book entitled Morfologi Tumbuhan (Plant Morphology) by Tjitrosoepomo (2016)- while the anatomical identification was referring to a book of Plant Anatomy) by Crang et al. (2018). The collected data were analyzed descriptively and quantitatively. B. rotundifolia has the smallest leaf size, while B. amplexicaulis has the largest leaf size. All of the observed species had leaf anatomical characters in the form of anomocytic stomata. B. amplexicaulis had the most prominent stem diameter, measuring 4.38 cm. Trichome and aerenchyma structures were found in all stems of the test species. B. lanigera stems have the most trichomes, 72 pieces in one cross-section. Meanwhile, the longest trichome is B. amplexicaulis, which is 1,590 m. The aerenchyma of B. amplexicaulis and B. lanigera is flat, while B. rotundifolia is oval. B. amplexicaulis has the longest aerenchyma at 957 m. Only B. lanigera has a trichome on the root.

Keywords: Anatomy, morphology, Bacopa amplexicaulis, B. lanigera B. rotundifolia.

Topic: Aquatic Biodiversity (International)