II. The Body Parts of Carabao Grass

Trichomes of Carabao Grass

The Carabao grass has many

trichomes found through out the leaf

margin. The type of its trichome is a

stinging trichome. These trichomes are

also called epidermal hairs.

Trichomes of the Carabao grass

are single outgrowths of the it’s

epidermis and collectively constitute the

pubescence (hairiness) of the Carabao

grass leaf surface. These epidermal

hairs in Carabao grass leaf are

specialized for defense against attack

by insects and mites.

These Carabao Grass Leaf

Stinging trichomes may be formed on all

parts of the plant as outgrowths from an

epidermal cell. The development of

hairs may involve cell division (as in

these leaf hairs) where the long

outgrowth is unicellular but the base is

multicellular.

The Following pictures are the microscopic stinging trichomes of Carabao grass.

Picture 1: The Stinging Trichomes, 10x

Picture 2: This picture here shows the base of the Carabao grass Stinging Trichome

The Stomatal Apparatus

The stomatal apparatus of

carabao grass leaf consist of the guard

cells and the stoma (pl. stomata). The

guard cell contains chloroplast and

these guard cells are somewhat bean

shaped, as seen in the surface of the

leaf. These occur in pairs and are found

chiefly on the lower epidermis of the

carabao grass leaf. Each pair of guard

cells encloses a small pore called stoma

which is responsible for the gaseous

exchange between the inner tissue of

the carabao grass leaf and the external

atmosphere.

The arrangement of the Carabao

grass stomatal apparatus is in parallel

alignment.

Picture 3: The picture here was viewed under low power objectives showing the stomatal apparatus in focus.

A pair of guard cells

Picture 3: Microscopic view, 40x, of the paired guard cells and stoma on the leaf surface of Carabao grass.

The Root System

The root of a carabao grass is found underground. It anchors the plant in the soil and it absorbs water and nutrients. The root of a carabao grass is a fibrous root and the plant does not undergo secondary growth.

Root Anatomy – Carabao grass

Epidermis Dermal tissue Protection of the root

Cortex Ground tissue Storage of photosynthetic

products Active in the uptake of water and

minerals

Endodermis

cylinder once cell thick that forms a boundary between the cortex and the stele

even more distinct than dicot counterpart

contains the casparian strip,

Vascular Tissue Xylem and Phloem Forms a ring near center of plant

Pith Center most region of root

Picture 4: The Root of Carabao Grass , 10x cs.

Carabao grasses have no periderm.

The inside of the Carabao grass has the

outer epidermis that becomes

thickened, suberized. Within the root of

the Carabao grass‘s outer cortex,

parenchyma cells become meristematic

and through periclinal divisions they

produce short radial files (similar to

phellem). These are non-living and

heavily suberized.

The Stem

Carabao grass stem differ from

dicot stems in that it lacks secondary

growth

No vascular cambium nor cork

cambium

Stems usually uniform in

diameter

Scattered vascular bundles (not

in a ring like dicot stems)

Picture 5: The Stem, 10x cs.

Picture 6: The Vascular Bundles, 40x

Picture 7: The stem, 10 x, cs.

Picture 8: The Vascular Bundles, 40x

The Leaf

In Carabao grass leaf; there are

usually a number of major leaf veins

which run parallel the length of the leaf.

The parallel venation of carabao

grass leaves looks less appealing but if

you think about its structure it seems

like it would provide the plant with a

better system for supplying nutrients to

leaves. Since the pattern does not

branch the nutrient flow, it is very direct

and fast, straight from the main body of

the plant. Dicots plants do not do this

because the branching allows for the

minor veins to reach every cell.

However the carabao grass does this as

well with commissural veins that

connect parallel major veins. In fact, this

system seems better because it is less

random and all cells seem to be more

equal in their nutrient intake.

Picture 9: The Leaf of carabao grass

Picture 10: The Midrib of Carabao Grass Leaf, 4 x

Picture 11: The Midrib, 10 x

Upper epidermis Mesophyll

Lower epidermis

The Flower and Seed

Picture 12: Flower of Carabao Grass

Inflorescence

The carabao grass flower has an

inflorescence of Spike which means that

the flowers are unbranched, elongated

main axis and whose flowers have no

pedicels

Fruit, embryo and seedling

The Carabao grass fruit is so small

and is compressed dorsiventrally.

Picture 13: The Seed of carabao grass viewed under dissecting microscope.

Commercial seeds of Carabao grass

are not usually available here in the

Philippines because most of the people

propagate the plant vegetatively. This is

because the Carabao grass spreads more

quickly vegetatively and more slowly by

seeds. Carabao grass is a less prolific seed

producer.

But if the seeds are available, it

could be broadcast onto well-prepared seed

bed to give the chance for the seeds to

germinate.