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Ultrastructure of ray parenchyma cells in the wood of Melia azedarach L. (Meliaceae)

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Summary

The fine structure of ray parenchyma cells in the sapwood during its transformation to heartwood in Melia azedarach L. (Meliaceae) is described. They have thick walls with electron dense and opaque lamellations. Many branched and unbranched plasmodesmatal connections are present on their lateral and end walls. The cells in the outer sapwood show abundant starch which disappears completely in the inner sapwood ant at the sapwood-heartwood boundary. The morphological features of the starch grain during its depletion are described and their association with lipid formation is indicated. It is suggested that the phenolic materials in the heartwood cells are formed at the sapwood-heartwood boundary.

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Abbreviations

Cy:

Cytoplasm

ER:

Endoplasmic reticulum

L:

Lipid droplet

M:

Mitochondrion

ML:

Middle lamella

MVB:

Multivesicular body

N:

Nucleus

P:

Pit-field

PC:

Pit cavity

PD:

Plasmodesmata

PL:

Plasmalemma

St:

Starch

V:

Vacuole

VS:

Vesicle

W:

Wall

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vallabh Vidyanagar, India

    R. C. Pandalai, G. M. Nair & J. J. Shah

Authors
  1. R. C. Pandalai
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  2. G. M. Nair
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  3. J. J. Shah
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The authors thank the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India for the financial assistance

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Pandalai, R.C., Nair, G.M. & Shah, J.J. Ultrastructure of ray parenchyma cells in the wood of Melia azedarach L. (Meliaceae). Wood Sci. Technol. 19, 201–209 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00392049

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00392049

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