ABSTRACT The leaves extracts of some species of Bauhinia L. s.l. are consumed to treat diabetes, inflammation, pains and several disorders in traditional medicine in austral South America. Despite its wide use and commercialization, sale is not controlled, and botanical quality of samples is not always adequate because of plant misidentification and adulteration. Here, we characterized leaf vein pattern in nineteen taxa to contribute to the recognition and commercial quality control of plant material commercially available. The vein characters intercostal tertiary and quinternary vein fabric, areole development and shape, free ending veinlet branching and marginal ultimate venation allowed to distinguish the main medicinal species in the region.

Wood anatomy of stem and rhizome of Sophora linearifolia, a rhizomatous plant endemic to centre Argentina, is described. Structural description of thin sections and macerations includes microphotographs of optical and scanning electron microscopy. Significant anatomical differences exist between secondary xylem of aerial orthotropic shoots and underground rhizome. Both organs have absent to indistinct growth ring boundaries, simple perforation plates, alternate and vestured intervessel pits and disjunctive parenchyma cell walls. However, stems have smaller vessels, longer fibres, partial storying (vessel elements and axial parenchyma) and narrower rays. Some anatomical characters of the rhizome suggest adaptations to its sinuous pattern of growth. The stem wood anatomy indicates a close relationship to Sophora sect. Edwardsia.

Anatomía comparada de órganos vegetativos (tallo y rizoma) de Sophora linearifolia (Sophoreae, Papilionoideae, Leguminosae). Se describe la anatomía de madera de Sophora linearifolia, una planta rizomatosa endémica del centro de Argentina. La descripción estructural de los cortes delgados y macerados incluye microfotografías de microscopio óptico y electrónico de barrido. Se observaron diferencias significativas entre el xilema secundario de los tallos aéreos ortótropos y los rizomas subterráneos. Ambos órganos poseen los anillos de crecimiento poco marcados a ausentes, placas de perforación simples, punteaduras intervasculares alternas y ornadas y pared de células parenquimáticas disyuntas. Sin embargo, los tallos poseen vasos más pequeños, fibras más largas, estratificación parcial (elementos de vaso y parénquima axial) y radios más angostos. Algunos caracteres anatómicos sugieren una adaptación del rizoma a un patrón de crecimiento sinuoso. La anatomía del tallo indica una relación cercana con Sophora sect. Edwardsia.

Wood anatomy description of Ribes magellanicum Poir. is given including specimens of its two subspecies. This is the first detailed secondary xylem study of a species included in the South and Central American subgenus Parilla Jancz. Wood anatomy of R. magellanicum shows the following typical anatomical features cited for northern hemisphere Ribes L.: small vessels, rays of two distinct sizes and scalariform perforation plates.

Se describe la anatomía de la madera de Ribes magellanicum Poir. incluyendo especimenes de sus dos subespecies. Es la primera descripción detallada del xilema secundario de una especie del subgénero de Centro y Sudamérica Parilla Jancz. La anatomía de R. magellanicum muestra las características típicas citadas para las Ribes L. del hemisferio norte: vasos pequeños, radios de dos tamaños distintos y placas de perforación escalariformes.