CALCIUM OXALATE CRYSTALS IN SOME SPECIES OF THE TRIBE INULEAE (ASTERACEAE)

In this study, calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals were investigated and their morphology and distribution determined by light microscopy in tissues and organs of Inula graveolens (L.) Desf.. Pulicaria dysenterica (L.) Bernh., Filago eriocephala Guss., Logfia arvensis (L.) Holup and Logfia gallica (L.) Coss. & Germ. which belong to tribe Inuleae (Asteraceae). CaOx crystals were identified in cleared organs and tissues by a histochemical technique using silver nitrate and rubeanic acid. Druses were observed in stein pith cells, leaf histophyll cells and style cells of I. graveolens. In anther tissues, crystals were determined as styloids, and in the ovary they were identified as prismatics. No crystals were found in petal and filament cells of I. graveolens. Druse crystals were present in the filament and style cells of P. dysenterica: styloids were found in the endothecial tissues of anthers, and prismatic crystals in the ovary cells of this species. No crystals were found in petal, stern and leaf tissues of P. dysenterica. F. eriocephala and L. arvensis. and L. gallica had small prismatic crystals only in their ovaries. No crystals were observed in the other tissues of these species. This study represents additional data oil the presence of CaOx crystals in Asteraceae.