epidermal bladder cells on a tiny desert-plant seedling in south africa [photo]

the tiny plant below is a stone plant seedling (aizoaceae), growing in the harsh conditions of the “knersvlakte” quartz gravel landscape in north-eastern south africa. the seedling has only formed its first pair of cotyledons, which are already completely covered in epidermal bladder cells:

a tiny stone plant seedling (aizoaceae) that is covered in epidermal bladder cells.

bladder cells are modified trichomes (hair-like structures) common in the stone plant family (aizoaceae), which are used to remove salt from the plant system.

to give you a better sense of scale, here’s the same view plus my index finger tip:

a tiny stone plant seedling (aizoaceae) that is covered in epidermal bladder cells. index finger tip (1.5 cm wide) for scale.

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3 thoughts on “epidermal bladder cells on a tiny desert-plant seedling in south africa [photo]

  1. How lovely plant it is! Could you tell me its name of it? I’d like to germinate it.

  2. Dear Markus, I already germinated mesembryanthemum crystallinum :)
    however its form isn’t different from your photo’s. My crystallinum form is same as fig A p.174 of this document. Anyway thank you for your comment, I’ll keep to search a heart shape plants!

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