Blepharis sindica is vulnerable plant of thar desert which belongs to Acanthaceae family. This plant has typical desert adaptation like narrow leaves, strong root system. Spiny bract to protect the flowers. Because plant has medicinal values due to which localization of different elements (protein, carbohydrates, lipids) in different plant parts like stem ,leaf become important. In stem, protein concentration was observed high in epidermis, outer and inner cortex, pericycle and vascular tissues, xylem and phloem; to some extent it was found in pith. In leaf, concentration of protein was found very high in vascular bundles, bundle sheath, palisade and chlorenchyma tissues and also spongy parenchyma. Upper epidermis and thick walled cells around midrib vascular bundles showed relatively less proteins. In stem, carbohydrates was present predominantly in epidermis, cortex and vascular tissues. However it was relatively less in pith region. In leaf, the carbohydrates was observed in all the tissues of the leaf. It was more prominent in the tissues with thick wall including Upper and Lower epidermis with cuticle. Carbohydrates were more localised in Vascular bundles (Median Vascular bundles) and laminar Vascular bundles, Bundle sheath cells and thick walled tissues and cells around MVb. However, soft tissues like Palisade tissue and Spongy parenchyma was observed with relatively less carbohydrates.

Histochemistry, protein, carbohydrates, Blepharis sindica

It is concluded that Blepharis sindica have proteins and carbohydrate presence in the different layer of stem and leaf. In leaf, very high concentration of protein in only median bundle and inner lamina but in case of stem high concentration of protein is in epidermis, outer and inner cortex, vascular bundles and pith so stem has large distribution area for protein as compare to leaf. Carbohydrate has distribution in sufficient amount in all over in stem except the pith region but in leaf carbohydrate has efficient distribution in all over except the soft tissues like; palisade and spongy parenchyma.

Rajneesh Sharma and Shikha Roy (2023). Histochemical Studies of Leaf and Stem of Blepharis sindica for Localization of Starch and Proteins. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(11): 452-455.