FIGURE 3. Characterization of the idioblasts of Capparis
odoratissima . (a) Maximum 3D projection of an isolated idioblast
showing their typical structure of a small tubular projection towards
the adaxial epidermis (top) and irregular walls toward the abaxial
surface. (b) Cells of the adaxial epidermis are thick and have
substantial extracellular materials (blue color) that intersperse with
the thick adaxial cuticle (white arrowheads). (c) The idioblasts are
columnar within the palisade parenchyma, with thick refringent walls and
narrow lumens (arrow). (d) At the level of the spongy mesophyll,
numerous canals connect the idioblast lumen with the surrounding
mesophyll cells. (e) At the abaxial epidermis, adjacent idioblasts
anastomose and form an irregular structure that connects with the center
of the peltate hairs. B-D semi-thin sections stained with toluidine blue
for general structure. C, cuticle; ep, epidermis; pp, palisade
parenchyma; id, idioblast; sp, spongy parenchyma; ph, peltate hair.
Dotted arrows in A indicate the plane of section of images on the right.
Scale bars: a = 100µm; b-e = 20µm.