Search in gallery

Back to Medium sized version | Without labels

Leaf strip of lower epidermis, detail

Legend:

1 epidermal cells
3  thickening of the cell wall of guard cells
4 chloroplasts in guard cells
5  subsidiary cells
2  guard cells of a stoma

English name: Corn / Maize
Scientific name: Zea mays
Familia: Gramineae
Classis: Monocotyledonas
Phylum: Angiospermae
Regnum: Plantae

The cells of the under epidermis are longitudinal and lack chloroplasts. In contrast, the narrow halter-shaped guard cells do contain chloroplasts; their cell wall is thickened. The triangular subsidiary cells support the function of guard cells in opening and closing stomata. A few chloroplasts from remnants of subepidermal layers can be distinguished in the leaf strip.