This PPT contains the application of Plant Anatomy in the field of Pharmacognosy & Plant systemics with number of examples to explore the beauty of this subject .

1. Welcome to Application of Anatomy in
Systematics & Pharmacognosy (Ppt-2)
By N.Sannigrahi, Associate Professor,
Department of Botany, Nistarini College,
Purulia, 723101(W.B) India
The study of the gross internal structure of
plant organs by the technique of section
cutting is called plant anatomy(ana=asunder;
temnein=to cut)”.The qualitative &
quantitative information extracted from this
domain a significant role in Plant Systematics
& Pharmacognosy.

2. Plant Systematics & Pharmacognosy
• Plant Systematics-Systematic knowledge about
plants for identification, nomenclature & the
classification of the plants as par taxonomic rules
and regulations as adopted from time to time laid
by ICBN
• Pharmacognosy-It is the objective study of the
crude drugs of animal, vegetable and mineral
origin, treated scientifically. Crude drugs are the
naturally obtained substances not having been
compounded or mixed with the other substances

3. Plant anatomy in Systematics
• Anatomical characters of vegetative & floral parts
of flowering plants have been successively
employed to solve taxonomic problems for the
elucidation of phylogenetic relationships.
Anatomical evidences can be useful in
systematics in several ways
• It can be exploited taxonomically in the
identification of fragmentary material, say a piece
of wood
• When morphological characters prove to be of no
help in the preliminary identification of herbarium
material, anatomical study may helpful.

4. Internal structure of plants

5. • Anatomical data has proved to be very useful
in discerning evolutionary trends and
interrelationships of taxa and above the species
level and at higher taxonomic categories. They
are most useful in determining relationship
between different genera, families ,order &
other taxonomic categories. Some of the basic
evidentiary anatomical characters of well
established taxonomic value used as follows.

6. Vegetative anatomy
• The anatomical data are of broadly two types-Vegetative
& Floral anatomy
• Vegetative anatomy consists of Leaf ,Stem, Petiole, Nodal
& Wood anatomy
• Floral anatomy consists of different attributes as offered
by the floral parts in course of origin and transformation
from vegetative to reproductive parts.
• VEGETATIVE ANATOMY
• Leaf -----Nature & thickness of epidermis(5 species of
Opuntia identified) structure and types of mesophyll,
pattern of sclernchyma, silica bodies, chloroplast structure
are some of the features considered here.

7. Stem Anatomy
• Degree of elevation of stem ridges
• The distribution & abundance of collenchyma
• Pattern of collenchyma thickenings
• Transformation of ground cells of cortex into
transfusion cells- Casuarina
• Distribution of Fibers- Genista
• Variation in the structure of the cells of the stem of
endodermis- Piperaceae, Asteraceae & Lamiacerae
• Features of the stem pith- Dubantia & Fitchia
• Shape and size of the sclerenchyma girders
• Arrangement of vascular bundles

8. Petiole anatomy
• Position of petiole on stem
• Presence or absence of stipules
• Petiole outline
• Numbers of layers of parenchyma in the cortex
• Vascularization of the petioles
• Distribution of the perivascular fibers
• Number of traces—are some of the features
used in taxonomy as Metcalfe & Chalk(1950)

9. Wood anatomy
• Vessel element-its length, loss of borders and
decrease of bars on perforation
• Axial parenchyma-presence or absence, distribution
like apotracheal & paratracheal,
• Vascular rays
• Storied wood, presence or absence of latex vessel,
resins, gums, crystals
• Sclerides, cellular contents
• Unilacunar,trilacular and multilacunar nodes are some
of the features used in the taxonomic studies as far as
vegetative anatomy is concerned.

10. Floral Anatomy
• Reproductive organs show high degree of
conservation ,have been widely used in plant
classification.
• The distribution and course of vascular
bundles within the receptacle and other
features are used in this regard.

11. Flower-a source of beauty is more
beautiful in anatomical overview

12. Anatomy in Pharmacognosy
• Pharmacognosy is the study of the medicines
derived from the natural sources. It includes the
collection of the different type of plants having
therapeutic values, identification, preservation
and other attributes. The quantitative &
qualitative evaluation of the drugs need the exact
sources if it is plants in origin. In course of the
study the stomata number, stomatal index
I=(S/E+S) *100,Palisade ratio, Vein islet number,
Presence of other ergastic substances are
considered in this study-both for the identification
of plants as well as adulterants.