DERMAL TISSUE SYSTEM

Dermal Tissue System

It principally
protects the
inner tissues of
the plant, but
also connects
them to the
outer world.
Plant Epidermis
Plant Epidermis
Composition: single
layer of living cells.
closely packed, without
intercellular spaces or
chloroplasts.
Protectivetissue, formed
by the dermatogen or
the protoderm. It covers
the young stems and
the generative organs.
FUNCTIONS of the Epidermis
1. Cuticle on surface contains cutin
and cutan, fatty materials that
waterproof the plantthereby
restricting evaporation;
2. Stomata control gaseous
exchange into and out of plant;
3. Mechanical support
4. Light perception affects
photoperiodism and circadian
rhythms
5. In roots produce root hairs
important in water and nutrient
absorption.
Epidermal Cells
Leastdifferentiated cells.
Shapes depend on the plant organ
they cover.
Contain no chloroplasts, only
leucoplasts.
They possess a large central vacuole.
Outer surface of the epidermis is
covered with the cuticle.
Cuticle
Cutin is secreted from the
epidermal cells into their outer
and radial cell walls.
Cutin consists of polyester derivatives
of C14-18 hydroxy-fatty acids.
Significant role in the water
household of the plant (thickness
varies depending on the humidity
of the environment. )
Cuticle

The cuticle is multilayered.

In the lower layers, cell wall
constituents intermingle with
those of the cuticle, whilst the
upper layers compose the cuticle
proper.
Cuticle is often covered also with
a hydrophobic layer of
epicuticular waxes.
Pepperomia Plant

Spongy mesohyll
Palisade
parenchyma

Epidendrum (an Ficus elastica

orchid)
Cuticle is on all plant parts exposed
to air (even roots and root hairs).

A. Thin B. Thick
Epidermis Epidermis
Cutin proper

Transverse section of tobacco Transverse section of leaf of

stem (Nicotiana tabacum) bearberry
 Another example of plants w/ thick epidermis

Epidermis cells have a very

thick deposit of cutin, and it
even penetrated into the
radial walls even extending
down to the inner wall.
C. Transverse section of yucca leaf
(Yucca).

Extremely thick cuticle

proper (the pink layer)
and cutinized wall (the
white layer).

D. Transverse section of Ficus

Structure of plant cuticle (Starting
at base)

a. Plasma membrane
b. Cell wall
c. Pectinaceous layer
d. Cuticular layer
e. Cuticle proper
f. Epicuticular wax
 The cuticle can be variously
sculptured
Fig. A. Transverse section of lilac leaf
(Syringa).
-> cross sections of ridges of cutin

Fig. B. Transverse section of Solanum

fruit.
->Epidermal cells have an
elaborately sculptured cuticle, each
cell having 4 or more peaks
Fig.C. Transverse section of leaf of
Taxus.
-> Epidermis cells have a complex
shape: each has 2 or 3 large, horn-like
projections that are so uniformly red.
 Epidermal Cell Division
Grasses.
cell divisions asymmetrical
producing a short and long
cell.
Meristemoid cells give rise
to stomata, silica cells, cork
cells, trichomes, etc.
Roots
Trichoblast gives rise to root
hairs.
 Epidermal cells (even stomates) are
totipotent.
Epidermis retains the potential for
growth for long periods of time in
some plants.

Acer Liquidambar twig Cercidium

pensylvanicum

Picture Source: Copyright 2011 by D. L.

Composition of Epidermis
1. Epidermal (Unspecialized) cells.

Pavement cells in Arabidopsis

look like interlocking puzzle
pieces.

Generally, epidermal cells are tabular in

shape but may be elongated parallel to the
organ axis.
2. STOMATA
composed of the most
differentiated cells of the
epidermis.
For transpiration and the
exchange of gases used in
photosynthesis and respiration.
This image of Arabidopsis is a
mutant plant called tmm1 (too
many mouths) and the alpha
tubulin has been stained with
GFP. Our own Matt Geisler
worked on this mutant (Planta
1998 205:522-530).
LOCATION OF STOMATA
1. Hypostomatic - stomates
restricted to the abaxial side,
most common

Tsuga Canadensis.
underside of leaves
showing prominent
stomata

(Copyright 2008 by D. L.
Nickrent)
 LOCATION OF STOMATA
2. Amphistomatic - stomates on both
the abaxial and adaxial sides
3. Epistomatic - stomates are on the
adaxial side, e.g. floating leaves such
as Nymphaea.

This micrograph shows the

upper epidermis (the palisade
parenchyma is just below it)
and it contains many stomata.
The lower epidermis is not
visible, but it has no stomata.

Transverse section of water

 LOCATION OF STOMATA
4. No stomata.
a. submerged leaves in
aquatic plants
b. scale leaves in
holoparasites in
Balanophoraceae (e.g. this Fig. 1Sarcophyte
Sarcophyte) sanguineum
c. stems of
mycoheterotrophs such as
Monotropa

Fig 3.Transverse section of Indian-pipe stem

(Monotropa)
Stomatal structural
differences in different
taxonomic groups
 Stomatal structural differences in
different taxonomic groups
1. Dicots.
Guard cells have reniform
shape
2. Grasses and sedges.
Guard cells osteoform (bone-
Zea mays guard
shaped). cells.
3. Gymnosperms.
Reniform in shape (as in this
Taxodium), but sunken into
epidermis, as if suspended from
subsidiary cell.

Abies balsamea.
Position of stomates in relation
to epidermis:
1. Stomates the same level
as epidermis, with a
substomatal cavity (or
chamber) directly below.

2. Stomates sunken - guard

cells sunken into the
epidermis, common in
xerophytes and especially
conifers. Example: Ficus
Magnification of stoma in fig leaf
Position of stomates in relation to
epidermis:

3. Stomatal crypts - depression in

the epidermis where stomates
are aggregated
These cut down on water loss, found in
xerophytes such as Nerium (oleander).

Anatomy of xerophytic leaf:

lower part of leaf invaginated
and forming folds in which
stomata are protected. Both
upper and lower epidermis
multiseriate, with thick cuticle.

Copyright 2012 by Mihai

Costea
Position of stomates in relation to
epidermis:

4. Stomates are buried in deep folds in the

leaf of the xerophytic beach grass Amophila
arenaria. The photosynthetic mesophyll
cells line these folds and buliform cells on
the lower epidermis can cause the whole
leaf to roll up under drought stress. A
similar evolutionary adaptation is seen in
Yucca.

Anatomy of xerophytic leaf

Transverse section of yucca
leaf
Position of stomates in relation to
epidermis:

5. Raised above the surface.

Populus deltoides
Stomatal function
1. Wall thickenings. Most along
pore wall (ventral side), least on
anticlinal wall (dorsal side).
2. Microfibrils in radial
arrangement (radial
micellation).
3. K+ fluxes and osmotic condition
4. Environment influences
stomatal openning and closing:
heat, [CO2], abscisic acid.
When turgid they are open,
when flacid they are closed.
 Formation of Guard Cells
Protoderm cell divides but unequally.
Developmental differences in
stomates in relation to subsidiary cells
come in three types:
1. Mesogenous
2. Perigenous
3. Mesoperigenous
1. Mesogenous (middle origin) - guard
cells and subsidiary cells come from
same mother cell.
Example: Graptopetalum (Aizoaceae) which shows a
final pattern called amphianisocytic.
2. Perigenous (around origin) - guard
cells and subsidiary cells come from
different mother cells.
Example: Pelargonium (Geraniaceae) which shows a
final pattern called actinocytic. Also Dianthus
3. Mesoperigenous - guard cells and
only one subsidiary cell from same
mother cell, other s.c. of different
origin.
Example: Vigna (which shows a final pattern called
paracytic, see below).
Stomatal Development in Monocots
-Tomilinson

Guard cell
precursor in
contact with 4
cells. 2 Pattern:
1. Oblique divisions
produce 4 cells
surrounding
guard cells.
2. Without oblique
divisions.
Stomatal complex w/o
oblique divisions latter
one comes in three
types:

1. G.C. surrounded by
neighboring cells,
2. 2 neighboring cells and
2 derivatives of lateral
cells
3. 2 derivatives of lateral
cell, 2 derivatives of
terminal cell
Stomatal Complexes
1. Anomocytic (irregular celled): no
differentiation of the epidermal
cells around the guard cells.

2. Anisocytic (unequal celled): 3

subsidiary cells around the guard
cells, one of different size.

3. Paracytic (parallel celled): 1 or

more subsidiary cells are parallel to
guard cells.
Stomatal Complexes
4. Diacytic (cross celled): 2 subsidiary
cells with walls perpendicular to
guard cells.

5. Actinocytic (radiate celled): several

subsidiary cells radiate from around
the guard cells.

6. Cyclocytic (cyclic celled): subsidiary

cells in 1-2 rings around guard cells.
Stomatal Complexes
7. Tetracytic (four celled): guard cells
surrounded by 4 subsidiary cells.

8. Amphianisocytic: double ring,

inner ring of 3 subsidiary cells.

9. Amphiparacytic: enclosed by 2
rings of 2 subsidiary cells aligned to
guard cells.
Trichomes
Plant Hairs
Unicellular or multicellular derivatives of the
protoderm..
Initiated by an unequal division and derive from
the smaller daughter cell called trichoblast.
Function:
- They may form a pubescence on the surface or
serve the function of secretion (glandular hairs).
- Protective structures against too intense
transpiration, UV radiation, the chewing of
herbivores
Trichomes may function alive or
dead.
Various kinds of trichomes are not
homologous among plants that produce
them, they are analogous
A. Living.
1. Digestive hairs, e.g. Insectivorous
plants)
2. Often glandular and secrete
compounds that are beneficial, e.g.
nectar
3. Mucilage, wastes, protects against
water loss and herbivory
4. Absorption, e.g. cells at base of the
scales in Tilandsia usneoides
(Spanish moss).
B. Dead.
1. Barrier to water loss and prevent
animal grazing
2. Flotation, e.g. aquatic plants

Araceae : Pistia stratiotes

Salviniaceae : Salvinia minima

Section through frond showing
numerous upright hairs
B. Dead.
3. protects against ionizing radiation, e.g.
high altitude plants such as Espeletia.

Espeletia killipii

4. Glandular Trichomes
B. Dead.

5. Non-glandular trichomes.
6. Simple
a) Unicellular - e.g. root hair, an
extension of the epidermal
cells;
b) Uniserate - one cell layer
thick, it is filamentous.
c) Multiserate - filamentous,
several cell layers thick.
B. Dead.

5. Non-glandular trichomes.
6. Branched non-glandular
trichomes

a) Unicellular - one cell layer

thick, it is filamentous.

Trichome of
Arabidopsis (usually
has three branches)
5. Non-glandular trichomes.
6. Branched non-glandular
trichomes

a) Multicellular

Uniseriate, e.g. Digitalis,

Asarum,

Digitalis. Trichome is
multicellular and Transverse section of wild
uniseriate ginger
a) Multicellular

Stellate - star shaped.

Solanum Lesquerella
quitoense ovata
Dendroid - tree-like
a) Multicellular

Multicellular and flattened -

peltate (umbrella shaped)

Transverse section of olive leaf (Olea purpurea). This epidermis

has peltate trichomes, trichomes that have a stalk (between
diagonal arrows) and a flat disk-shaped top (between vertical
arrows).
a) Multicellular

Audron hairs in Mentzelia oligosperma.

Farinose trichomes. In Encelia farinosa.
Squamiform hairs on lower epidermis
of Olea europaea (olive) prevent
stomatal closure and damage of
underlying tissues by UV radiation.

Mentzelia Encelia farinosa Olea europaea

oligosperma
Trichomes must not be confused with other structures
Trichomes must not be confused with structures like:

1. Spines - modified leaves or

stipules.
2. Thorns -modified branches.
3. Prickles which originate from the
epidermis but include tissue
beneath in the cortex.
4. Warts
 Hollow spine on Bullhorn
acacia

Thorns from Gleditsia

triacanthos

Pictures Source: Copyright 2013 by D. L.

 Fig. 3 Prickles in rose

Fig. 4 Trunk of tree showing bark

with warts (corky
outgrowths)

Pictures Source: Copyright 2013 by D. L.

Papillae
Outgrowths of the
epidermal cells that
increasing the surface.

Papillae cause for example the velvety touch of the petals.

Glandular hairs
Epidermal secretory structures.
Composition: stalk and a head
region; both may be uni- or
multicellular; cells are connected to
each other via several
plasmodesmata.
Carnivorous plants being responsible
for both prey attraction and digestion,
since they also produce proteolytic
enzymes.
Hydatodes
Permanently open
stomata where
water droplets are
exuded (guttation).
Guttated water
principally contains
inorganic salts.
Salt and chalk glands
A typical structures of salt
resistant plants.
Function: discharge of excess
salt.
In structure, they resemble the
hydatodes.
Nectaries
Present usually on entomophilous species,
Produce a sugary solution to attract the
insects.
They principally occur in the flowers (floral
nectaries), but they are also found outside of
flowers (extrafloral nectaries), e.g. on the
stem or the leaf.
The nectar secreted by the nectary contains
various sugars and amino acids in high
concentration.
Silica Cells
Causing the roughness of the
grass leaves.
Plant Crystals
Contain idioblastic substances
such as tannins, oils, crystals may
be present.
RHIZODERMIS
Contains no
stomata and it is
not covered by
cuticle.
Its unique feature
is the presence of
root hairs.
Root hair is the
outgrowth of a
single rhizodermal
Root hairs
Root hair derives from a trichoblast as a
result of an unequal division.
It contains a large vacuole; its cytoplasm and
nucleus is superceded to the apical region of
the outgrowth.
Although it does not divide, its DNA
replicates so the nucleus is polyploid.
Root hairs live only for few days, they die off
in 1-2 days due to mechanical damages.
End of Plant Epidermis..