Morphology and Histochemistry of Cladodes of Nopalea cochenillifera (L.) Salm-Dyck (Cactaceae)

Morphoanathomical parameters, for macroscopic and microscopic analyses of the cladodes
of Nopalea cochenillifera, plant recognized traditionally like medicinal, allow his authenticity. The phylloclades
have wavyness and areoles with three straight and hyaline thorns. The uniseriate epidermis has
parallelocytic stomata and mucilaginous cells, followed by an annular collenchyma and a palisade
parenchyma on average with eight cell layers. The vascular region is constituted by isolated vascular bundles
of the open collateral type. The central cylinder is composed by a parenchymatic medulla. The mucilage
structures and the druses of calcium oxalate are present in cortical region in and central cylinder.
They are in bigger number near to the vascular bundles. The druses also take place in the first layer of the
collenchyma. These morphoanathomical characteristics, when taken together, are consistent in the botanical
control of quality of this vegetable sort.
Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aires