Analysis of Leaf Anatomical Structure Differences Among Different Living Plants in the Same Community in the Dry-Hot Valley of Jinshajiang

The mature leaves of 17 plants were collected from sunny slopes in the same sites in Panzhihua Cycas National Nature Reserve. The anatomical structures of the leaves were compared by paraffin section methods and the differences were analyzed by cluster analysis. The result show that the anatomic structures of 17 species exist significant difference. The coefficient of variation of upper epidermal cell thickness, leaf thickness, palisade tissue thickness, sponge tissue thickness and stratum corneum thickness were all greater than 50%, which may belong to ecological adaptation traits. The coefficient of variation of traits such as epidermal cell thickness, gate-sea ratio, leaf tissue tightness and leaf tissue structure looseness is small, which may belong to the system evolution trait. Clustering analysis showed that 17 species are clustered into 4 main groups. Group Ⅰ consists of Cycas panzhihuaensis, which are featured by no sponge tissue differentiation, the average of leaf thickness, epidermal thickness, palisade tissue thickness and cuticle thickness are maximum among four groups. Group Ⅱ consists of Osyris wightiana, featured by non-sponge tissue differentiation, the average of leaf thickness, palisade tissue thickness and cuticle thickness are larger than the other 2 groups. Group Ⅲ has the least ratio in the leaf thickness, palisade tissue thickness and cell tense ratio. The average measurements data of GroupⅣ are in the middle level. Differences in anatomical structures of leaves showed the differentiation and convergence of different plants to the environment and to some extent reflected the different species at the same community of dry-hot valley may be in different stages of succession respectively.