Abstract

Fayose O. Henry * and Freke R. Martins

Floral and epidermal characters of two species of Ixora were studied. The aim was to establish the useful diagnostic feature that may be employed in combination with other characters as intra and inter-specific or generic tools for their delimitation. The flowers of Ixora coccinea were hypostomatic while Ixora finlaysoniana flowers were hypoamphistomatic. The matured stomata types were anisocytic, anomocytic, staurocytic, paracytic, laterocytic, brachyparacytic and hemiparacytic stomata. I. coccinea leaf and flower are different from I. finlaysoniana in having hemiparacytic stomata in the abaxial surfaces of the leaf and flower. Parallel contiguous stomata occurred only in I. finlaysoniana leaf while it was absent in I. coccinea. Long unicellular trichome were distributed on adaxial surface of I. coccinea. The shape of the anticlinal cell wall, stomatal index, guard cell area can be used to distinguish the species.