MACROMORPHOLOGICAL AND MICROMORPHOLOGICAL STUDIES OF FOUR SELECTED PASSIFLORA SPECIES IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

RUBASHINY VEERAMOHAN*AND NOORMA WATI HARON

Abstract: Taxonomic studies of four selected Passiflora species; Passiflora edulis Sims (Passion fruit), Passiflora coccinea Aubl. (Scarlet passion flower), Passiflora foetida L. (Stinking passion flower) and Passiflora incarnata L. (Fragrant passion flower) were carried out to distinguish their morphological characteristics. Macromorphological characters on the leaves, flowers and fruits of all four Passiflora species were observed under a binocular microscope and they varied characteristically in terms of colour, texture and shape of flowers, leaves and fruits. Jeol JSM-7500F Scanning Electron Microscope was used to observe the micromorphological characters such as stomata, trichomes, and leaf surface indumentum of each Passiflora species. Micromorphologically, each species varied in types and sizes of stomata, epidermal

surfaces and presence of trichomes.

Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

*Corresponding author’s e-mail: rubashinyv.b@siswa.um.edu.my; Telephone No.: 603-79676701