Abstract: Using the paraffin-section method, the leaf anatomical structures of five species of Rhizophoraceae plants (Rhizophora apiculata Bl., R.stylosa Griff., Kandelia candel(Linn.) Druce, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza(Linn.) Savigny and B.sexangula(Lour.) Poir) were observed in this study. The results showed that thick cuticles and lower epidermis were commonly existed in the leaves of all these five species of mangrove plants, while the epidermis cells contained tannin. This study also concluded that there was no stomata apparatus on the upper epidermis, and the layers of palisade tissues were also observed. Besides, the xylems in the leaves were identified to be well developed. All these results indicated that the leaves of mangrove plants exhibited strong drought-resistant capacity, and the leaves of homogeneous plants displayed similar characteristics in their anatomical structures.

Key words: Rhizophoraceae, leaves, anatomical structure