Domatia

Shri Jai Narain Mishra P.G.
College
Charbagh , Lucknow
Department of Botany
Session: 2023-24
Assignment Topic:
Domatia, Epiphyllous branches and Hydropoten
SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY

Dr.Neeta Chakrabarty Dhruv Kumar Jha
CLASS:
M.SC. (2 Semester)
 Introduction
 Domatia are small chambers produced by plants to house

arthropods. They are found in the axils of major veins on the
underside of leaves, and sometimes on the bases of leaflet of
compound leaves.
 Epiphyllous branching refers to the growth of branches or shoots

directly from the surface of leaves in certain plant species. The
unique adaptation is observed in specific plant, particularly those in
specific plants, particularly those in tropical rainforests and other
environments where space and light availability may lead to creative
strategies for capturing sunlight.
1. Domatia
1.1 Characteristics
1.2 Types of Domatia
1.3 Ecological importance
2. Epiphyllous branching
2.1 Characteristics
3. Hydropoten
3.1 Structure
1.Domatia
1.1 Characteristics
 Domatia are tiny chambers that house tiny arthropods and specific
mites, ants, and other invertebrates.
 These are beneficial relationship between plants and animals are

fascinating example of mutualism, where both organisms derive
some kind of advantage from the association.
1.2 Types of Domatia
 Leaf domatia: These are pouch like structures or pockets formed on

leaves often on the underside. They can be pits, chambers, or even
rolled-up edges.
e.g. - domatia found on certain species of acacia trees which house
ant species that defends the plants from herbivores.
 Stem domatia: These occur on the stems of plants and can take the
form of grooves, channels, or enlarged lenticels (pores on stems
that allow gas exchange).
e.g. - swollen thorns of citrus trees that provide a home for mites.
 Trichome domatia: These are domatia formed by hollow or

modified trichomes (hair-like outgrowth on plants).
e.g. – domatia found on Cecropia trees which house stinging ant
species.

 Plant benefit from domatia in a number of ways. One major benefit

is defense against herbivores.
 The resident invertebrates can act as security guards, chasing away

or attacking insects that come to eat the plant.
 They may also disperse the plant’s seeds or even provide nutrients
through waste products.
2. Epiphyllous branching
2.1 Characteristics
 Epiphyllous branches are a special type of branches found on some

tropical plants, particularly epiphytes (plants that grow on other
plants but are not parasitic). These branches arise directly from the
leaves of the host plant, rather than from the main stem.
 Function- The exact function of epiphyllous is not fully branches is
not fully understood, but these are several hypotheses
 Nutrient acquisition: They may help the plant to absorb nutrients
and water from the atmosphere or debris that accumulates on the
leaves.
 Photosynthesis: They may increase the plant's photosynthetic
surface area by extending beyond the main leaves.
 Support and stability: They may provide additional support and
stability for the plant, especially for climbing epiphytes.
 Reproduction: In some cases, epiphyllous branches may even
develop adventitious roots or buds that can form new plantlets.
e.g.- Epiphyllous branches are found on a variety of epiphytic plants,

including some cacti, orchids, and Gesneriads. A well known example is
the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) which has flattened,
leaf-like stems that function as epiphyllous branches.
3. Hydropoten
 These glandular epidermal structures are involved in water and

mineral transport into and out of aquatic plants (Fahn 1979; Mishra
& Dubey 2010), and are able to retain more ions than common
epidermal cells (Luttge et al. 1971).
 Due to these functional characteristics, plants bearing hydropotes
have shown great potential for phytoremediation (Lavid et al. 2001),
as is the case with species of Nymphaea.
 It has been shown that when exposed to cadmium, for example,
hydropotes are able to trap cadmium-crystals through the activities
of peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase (Lavid et al. 2001).
 The presence of hydropotes is widespread in Nymphaeales
(Carpenter 2006). Luttge & Krapf (1969) described the hydropotes of
species of Nymphaeaceae as comprising four cells:
a cap cell, a lens-shaped cell, a cup-like cell and a basal cell.
 Structure
 Hydropotes are specialized epidermal structures involved in water

and mineral flux into and out of the plant body.
 Hydropotes (water drinkers) are epidermal appendices specialized

for life in an aquatic environment (Fahn 1979).
 They are present on the abaxial surface of floating leaves (Fahn
1979; Wilkinson 1979; Catian & Scremin-Dias 2013) and
reproductive floating organs (Zini et al. 2017; Coiro & Lumaga 2018)
of some species of aquatic plants such as those belonging to
Aponogetonaceae, Menyanthaceae, Potamogetonaceae,
Nymphaeaceae, Alismataceae (Lavid et al. 2001), and
Cabombaceae (Borsch et al. 2008).
 The young hydropotes were morphologically similar to non-glandular

trichomes, being comprised of an elongated sharp-pointed apical
portion with 1-4 cells and base composed of two short cells.
 In a later developmental stage the short cell just below the sharp-
pointed apical portion divided giving rise to an upper lens-shaped
cell and a subjacent bowl-shaped cell; the sharp-pointed apical
portion then started to senesce and detached from the lens-shaped
cell.
 Mature hydropotes were short and contained an upper lens-shaped

cell, a bowl-shaped cell and a large foot cell.

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Shri Jai Narain Mishra P.G.

Domatia, Epiphyllous branches and Hydropoten

SUBMITTED TO: SUBMITTED BY

 Domatia are small chambers produced by plants to house

 Epiphyllous branching refers to the growth of branches or shoots

1.2 Types of Domatia

1.3 Ecological importance

2.2 Ecological importance

 These are beneficial relationship between plants and animals are

1.2 Types of Domatia

 Leaf domatia: These are pouch like structures or pockets formed on

 Trichome domatia: These are domatia formed by hollow or

 Plant benefit from domatia in a number of ways. One major benefit

 The resident invertebrates can act as security guards, chasing away

 Epiphyllous branches are a special type of branches found on some

e.g.- Epiphyllous branches are found on a variety of epiphytic plants,

 These glandular epidermal structures are involved in water and

 Hydropotes are specialized epidermal structures involved in water

 Hydropotes (water drinkers) are epidermal appendices specialized

 The young hydropotes were morphologically similar to non-glandular

 Mature hydropotes were short and contained an upper lens-shaped

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