However, the anatomical features of the root in cross section, such as the relative thicknesses of cortical, vascular, and medullary regions; the presence of starch; the distribution of phenolic and crystalliferous idioblasts; and the phloem arrangement, can provide a larger number of elements for more accurate identification of the drug (Cunha, 1937; Stellfeld, 1938; Soares, 2013).
The distribution of the phenolic and crystalliferous idioblasts, the circular arrangement of the primary phloem, and the absence of metaxylem elements in the centre of the structure are also common among other species already described in the literature and have allowed identification of the adulteration of products being sold as sarsaparilla (Soares, 2013).
Crystalliferous idioblasts are common in monocotyledons (Prychid & Rudall 1999) and can assume several functions, such as storage of calcium and oxalic acid, plant defense, mechanical support, ionic changing, osmotic control and regulation of the levels of calcium in cells of the phloem (Franceschi & Horner 1980, Paiva & Machado 2005).
Sierra-Martinez P, Ibarra JE, de la Torre M, Olmedo G (2004) Endospore degradation in an oligosporogenic,
crystalliferous mutant of Bacillus thuringiensis.
thuringiensis Berliner and other
crystalliferous bacteria.
Mesophyl presented very abundant crystalliferous idioblasts, containing calcium-oxalate microcrystals.
The parenchyma presented very abundant crystalliferous idioblasts, containing calcium-oxalate microcrystals.
Mesophyl presented few crystalliferous idioblasts, containing microcrystals, and few polyhedrical crystals of calcium oxalate.
Stinging
crystalliferous trichomes: 0, absent; 1, present.
Patterns of plasmid DNA in
crystalliferous and acrystalliferous strains of B.