The Identification of Morphological and Anatomical Structures of Pluchea indica

Abstract This current research aimed at identifying the morphological and anatomical structures of Pluchea indica, specifically in root, stem, leaf, and flower of its. A descriptive approach was applied to this research and was conducted at Biology Laboratory of University of Muhammadiyah Malang from July to August 2019. The identification of morphological structure, furthermore, was focused on the characteristics of root, stem, leaf, and flower organ. In addition, the identification of anatomical structure was through a transverse incision in each organ by means of fresh preparation, safranin coloration, and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The collected data were analyzed descriptively and quantitatively. The identification of morphological structure in the organs was referred to a book entitled Morfologi Tumbuhan (Plant Morphology) by Tjitrosoepomo (2007); while the anatomical identification was referring to a book of Anatomi Tumbuhan (Plant Anatomy) by Fahn (1995). The result of the identification has indicated that Pluchea indica possesses the following morphological characteristics: 1) the leaves are light green, with trichomes in their upper and lower sides; 2) the length of branches signifies 1 cm in average, located at crisscrossing points and in a form of abovatus; 3) the tip of the leaves (apex folli) is sharp-formed (acanthus), with serrated pattern at the edge of the leaves (margo folli); 3) the base of the leaves (basic folli) is blunted (obsitus) and the structure of the leaf bones (nervatio) is pinnate-formed (penninervis), with oval-shaped leaf blades and parchment-like intervenium; and 4) the stem is in a round form with monopodial branches, taproot, and capitulum inflorescent. Further, with the reference to the anatomical structure of the stem and root, there have been found epidermal tissue, cortex, xylem and phloem, sclerenchyma, and pith. The modification on stomatal epidermis is in a form of kidney with two buffer cells of 13.6 μm in length and 9.82μm in width. Meanwhile, the porous length and width consecutively signify 9.02 μm and 1.32 μm, with glandular trichomes of 551 μm long in average and 39.6 μm wide in average.