ABSTRACT Dipteryx, Pterodon and Taralea are legume genera known for secreting oils, produced in secretory canals and cavities, with medicinal properties. We analyzed the distribution, morphology and histochemistry of these glands in leaves and stems of Dipteryx alata, Pterodon pubescens and Taralea oppositifolia, three Neotropical species, using standard techniques for anatomy and histochemistry. Secretory spaces, i.e. secretory cavities and canals, exhibited a wide lumen and a single layer of epithelium. Digitiform epithelial cells, forming trabeculae protruding into the lumen, were seen in all three species. Secretory cavities with a rounded or oval lumen and secretory canals with an elongated lumen in longitudinal sections were found only in T. oppositifolia. In D. alata and P. pubescens, only secretory cavities were found. In P. pubescens, secretory cavities occurred in the leaf blade margin. In T. oppositifolia, secretory spaces were much more numerous than in the other two species. Terpenes, total lipids, phenolic compounds, alkaloids and polysaccharides were detected in the secretory spaces of the three species. The abundance of secretory spaces, the presence of canals in T. oppositifolia and the position of cavities in P. pubescens are features with potential diagnostic value for their respective genera.

Tendo em vista a dificuldade de identificação dos ipês brasileiros em estado vegetativo, este trabalho objetivou levantar caracteres que possibilitassem reconhecê-los pela anatomia foliar (lâmina foliar e pecíolo). Folhas de seis espécies de Handroanthus (ipês amarelos: H. chrysotrichus, H. ochraceus e H. serratifolius; ipê branco: H. roseo-albus; ipês roxos: H. heptaphyllus e H. impetiginosus) e de uma espécie de Tabebuia (ipês amarelo: T. aurea) foram preparadas para observação em microscopias de luz (exame histológico) e eletrônica de varredura (exame de superfície). Caracteres provenientes da anatomia foliar possibilitaram a diagnose dos ipês, sendo mais relevantes na lâmina foliar, o número de camadas da epiderme, a posição dos estômatos em relação às demais células epidérmicas, a presença de domácias, a presença de espessamento de parede das células parenquimáticas na margem, o tipo de mesofilo e a presença de parênquima paravenal; no pecíolo, destacaram-se seu formato, a forma das células epidérmicas e a presença de fibras na região interna do floema.

By considering that Brazilian species of Ipês are hardly identified when in vegetative stage, the present study aims to research foliar anatomic characters that might allow recognize medicinal ipê species. Leaves of six species of Handroanthus (yellow flowers: H. chrysotrichus, H. ochraceus and H. serratifolius; white flowers: H. roseo-albus; purple flowers: H. heptaphyllus and H. impetiginosus) and one species of Tabebuia (yellow flowers: T. aurea) were prepared to be observed with light microscopy (free-hand cuts), and scanning electronic microscopy (surface analysis). Foliar anatomical characters allow recognizing Ipê species. The better ones provided by foliar lamina were the number of epidermic layers, the stomata position in relation to the other epidermic cells, the occurrence of domatia, the parechymatic cell wall thickening in the margin, the mesophyll type and the presence of paraveinal parenchyma; in the petiole, we can cite the petiole shape, the epidermic cell shape and the occurrence of inner phloematic fibers.