Microscopy : Stomata comparison from leaf prints

I made epoxy leaf print of plants from around my home by using 10 minute epoxy on acrylic or glass slides.

Brassica oleracea (Alboglabra group, AKA Kailan)  X600

Note the high density of very small stomata on this leaf as compared to those on the other plants shown below. These stomata are closed because the it came from a vegetable that has been in the fridge for several days.

Portulaca (AKA Purslane. Exact species indeterminate) X600

These stomata appear enormous when compared to those from Kale. These came fresh from my garden so the stomata are in open position.

Petal print from Caesalpinia pulcherrima f. flava (AKA Peacock flower) X600

Even petals have stomata! These stomata are closed as the petal was picked just after sunrise.


"Needle" print from Casuarina Equisetifolia X400

Casuarina trees are a common sight along Singapore's beaches. The have needle-like leaves (modified branchlets called cladodes) which you can break and gingerly stick together again before passing it off to a friend to guess the point of breakage. Although the lateral leaf print does not reveal the transverse structure of ridges that run along the length of the needles, it is evident the stomata are very small with no discernable guard cells in this 400 magnification picture. Due to the deeply recessed ridges, my 60X objective could not be brought to focus on these pit-like stomata.



Microscope : Olympus CHB, 10X eyepiece, 60X and 40X objective (Condenser stopped down about 2/3 way)
Camera : LG Optimus black