Abstract: Leaf morphology in four species of Desmos and three species of Dasymaschalon was comparatively studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) together with epidermal maceration and paraffin methods. The results showed that there were some remarkable foliar anatomical differences between Desmos and Dasymaschalon. In leaves of Desmos, some of the adaxial epidermal cells were enlarged into globose cells each containing one large cluster crystal, while other epidermal cells were normal without any crystal, and in abaxial epidermis each cell contained one smaller cluster crystal. The leaf structure was typically bifacial, and the mesophyll cells were differentiated into palisade tissue and spongy tissue. Oil cells were distributed in the second layer of palisade and the whole spongy tissue, and the number of oil cells per mm leaf width ranged from 4 to 6. The vascular tissue in the midrib was separated into bundles by parenchyma cells. In leaves of Dasymaschalon, all the adaxial epidermal cells contained one cluster crystal, and the crystal size was similar to that of thecrystals in abaxial epidermal cells. The leaf structure was more or less isobilateral. Oil cells were distributed only in the spongy tissue between the two layers of the palisade, and the number of oil cells per mm leaf width ranged from 2 to 3. The vascular tissue in the midrib formed a continuous circle. It is clear that the anatomical differences between Desmos and Dasymaschalon are remarkable, supporting the treatment of Desmos and Dasymaschalon as two independent genera.

Key words: Desmos, Dasymaschalon, Leaf anatomy, Classification