Abstract:

The scanning electron microscopy（SEM） and resin casting method were used to observe the micromorphological characteristics of vessel molecular types， pits and perforation plates of ten species of Prunus L. in Northeast of China， and the quantitative data of lumen length， width， tail length and end wall angle were measured. The conduit type， tail length and perforation plate type of the same species were stable in different habitats， and did not change with the change of habitats. There were three types of ducts in ten species of Prunus L.， including spiral， pitted and reticulate. In addition to P.ussuriensis Kov. et Kost.， P.humilis（Bge.） Sok. and P.sibirica（L.）Lam.， there are only two types of vessels， including pitted and reticulate. Three types are common in the other seven plants. Helical thickening is common in this genus of conduit molecules. The single perforation plate is common in the plum plants， only in P.maximowiczii（Rupr.） Kom.， P.tomentosa（Thunb.） Wall. and P.salicina Lindl.. Only in P.racemosa（Lam.）Gilib. and P.ussuriensis Kov. et Kost. and P.japonica（Thunb.） Lois. and P.sibirica（L.）Lam.， the relatively primitive opposite-alternate pitting was observed， and the other six patterns were all alternate pitting. The lumen length， width and end wall area were significantly related to the habitat. The measurement of the tail length shows that the tail length of the vessel elements of the same plant is relatively stable in different habitats， almost unchanged， which can be used in micro plant taxonomy.

Key words: Prunes L., vessel elements, SEM, morphological structure