Plant tissues. Support
SCLERENCHYMA, SCLEREIDS
Organ: leaf, astrosclereids.
Species: camellia (Camelia japonica).
Technique: vibratome sections stained with Alcian blue / safranin.
Species: camellia (Camelia japonica).
Technique: vibratome sections stained with Alcian blue / safranin.
Like other sclereids, astrosclereids usually are found scattered in other tissues. In this figure, astrosclereids are dispersed among photosynthetic parenchyma cells of a leaf. They show a star shape and an exceptionally thick secondary cell wall, which leaves a very narrow intracellular space (see image on the right).