Leaf Epidermal Characters of Solanum as Support to its Pharmacobotany

Leaf samples of 67 species of Solanum, popularly known as "Jurubeba" and used in traditional medicine in Brazil, were analyzed. The indument ranged from glabrous, tomentose to hirsute; the trichomes morphology is very diverse: simple, stellate (Fig. 1A, CD) and peltate (Fig. 1B). The stellate trichomes are predominant and most diverse, being sessile, stalked, multiangulate, porrect-stellate, with or without glandular rays (Fig. 1C). The anticlinal walls of the epidermis and the type and distribution of stomata are also distinguishing characters of Solanum species.

Fig. 1: A. Tomentose indument; B. Peltate trichomes; C Stellate-glandular trichomes; D. Detail of stellate-stalked trichome; E. Anisocytic stomata; F. Straight anticlinal walls; G. Sinuous anticlinal walls; H. Amphistomatic leaf, in cross-section.