CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Zuccagnia punctata Cav. (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae), commonly known as ?jarilla macho?, is an endemic species distributed in Argentina, in the xerophytic phytogeographical province of Monte. It has been used extensively as a traditional medicine and has been reported to have activity as antioxidant, antiulcer, antifungal and antimicrobial against multiresistant human pathogenic bacteria. The data of the morphology and anatomy of this species is limited, for this reason the aim of this study was to describe the aerial parts, with special attention to the histolocalization of bioactive compounds. Conventional anatomy and histochemistry techniques were performed. Z. punctata shows pseudo-paripinnate leaves; leaflets subopposite, nanophyll, acuminate apex, base rounded and margin entire. Venation is pinnate, camptodromous, brochidodromous with massive primary vein. Anatomical features clearly presents xerophytic adaptations, isolateral, amphistomatic leaflets, cyclocytic stoma, epidermal cellswith straight anticlinal walls, thick cuticle, capitate glandular trichomes located in crypts in both epidermal surfaces and eglandular trichomes with one or two uniseriate articulated cells, arranged in the foliar margin. The middle vein presents a unique collateral vascular bundle with sclerenchymatous layers at the phloem pole. The primary shoot shows a eustele with abundant xilematic fibers after secondary growth. Both leaf and stem have idioblasts containing druses in the mesophyll and phloematic parenchyma respectively. Vanillin sulfuric stain indicates that glandular trichomes are related with the synthesis of phenolic and terpenic compounds.

enviar mensaje