Heteroblastic seedlings of green ash. III. Cell division activity and marginal meristems

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Abstract
The early developmental stages of simple and compound leaves of green ash (50–400 μm long) were used to relate cell division activity (mitotic index) to developing leaf form and histological differentiation. Densely cytoplasmic cells within cross-sectioned leaf primordia have higher mitotic indices than protodermal cells and other internal cells that are more vacuolate. Among densely cytoplasmic cells mitotic indices decrease from the primordial leaf margin toward the procambium. Ground meristem cells within three to five cell widths of the primordial margin had the highest mitotic indices. Actual cell counts indicate that densely cytoplasmic cells increase in number in areas of leaf blade or leaflet initiation more than do vacuolate cells or protodermal cells. It is proposed that marginal meristems defined by spatial and histological criteria are important in producing new cells that are the basis for the generation of simple and compound leaf forms.

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