Morphological and Epidermal Studies on Certain Species of Napoleona P. Beauv. (Lecythidaceae) in Nigeria

A comparative study of the morphological and foliar epidermal characteristics of three species of Napoleona Beauv., N. imperialis P. Beauv., N. vogelli Hook. and Planch and N. gossweileri Baker f. was carried out by simple light microscopy. While N. imperialis and N. vogelli are shrubs, with the bark, smooth, shallow and fibrous, N. gossweileri is a woody climbing liane, with thick-barked stem. Significant variations in leaf size, flower colour, fruit shape and colour when ripe and stomatal type which could be exploited for taxonomic purposes were observed among the species. The study aims at contributing morphological and epidermal information on the scanty literature available on the species which have potentials for medicinal, ornamental and food purposes.