Cross section in a leaf of Ficus elastica

Ficus elastica is a large tree in the banyan group of figs from Moraceae family. Its common name is rubber fig or rubber tree. It is characterized by wide dark green leaves with an oval shape and a shiny surface. It is frequently uses as houseplant.

The sections on this page are paraffin section (8 μm thick) in a leaf of stained with astra blue – safranin.

Below: micrographs of the midrib (dotted red circles). From the top to the bottom we find  epidermis of the ad axial face (Ep ad), two layers of hypodermis (hypod), palisade parenchyma (pp), spongy parenchyma (pl), a layer of hypodermis (hyp) and the epidermis of the abaxial face. Chloroplasts in the mesophyll are stained red.

Below: micrograph of the section showing a lateral vein (red circle). We find the same tissues than those described for the main vein with larger lacunae in the spongy mesophyll (pl). St: stomata in epidermis of the abaxial face.