Cuticle Micromorphology of Korean Gymnosperms I. Cycadaceae, Ginkgoaceae, Taxaceae and Cephalotaxaceae

Cuticle micromorphology of four families of Korean gymnosperms, Cycadaceae, Ginkgoaceae, Taxaceae, and Cephalotaxaceae, were studied with scanning electron microscopy. The outer and inner features of abaxial and adaxial cuticles were described in details; the absent or present of Florin ring, orifice, trichome, and plug and their shape, the shape and periclinal and anticlinal wall sculpture of epidermal cells, the shape of cuticular flange of epidermal cell, guard cell, and subsidiary cell, the number of stomatal bands and rows, and stomatal apparatus including the shape of polar extension, number of subsidiary cells, the sculpture of guard cell and subsidiary cell. Most of these features have not been sufficiently substantiated by the previous reprots. Furthermore, all the species investigated showed distinctive cuticle morphology with morphological and taxonomical informations.