Rhoeo Discolor Leaf (W.M) under the Microscope 🌿🔬

After our last post learning a bit about stomata, I thought we should check out a leaf wet mount sample to see stomata front on. Here I have a Rhoeo Discolor Leaf sample.

Rhoeo Discolour (Common Name – Moses-In-The-Cradle)
Evergreen clump forming plant for shady areas or hardy indoor plant. Leaves have an unusual purple undersurface and can be used for contrast. White flowers are produced all year round. Divide during the warmer times of the year. Approximate growing height is 30-40cm and width 40-50cm Source

_{Left Image by @supersoju; Right Image Credit Wikimedia Commons by James Edward Smith and James Sowerby, public domain}

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I must say, after checking out pictures of this plant, it is a very pretty looking plant. It is also drought tolerant. It would be good for me, the forgetful green thumb noob. The white flowers are small but it adds a nice touch to the purple colour I must say. It flowers all year round too! Check it out below, doesn’t it look pretty?

_{Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons by Mokkie, CC BY-SA 4.0}

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Ok time to have a look at our sample under the microscope.

Wow, we can see many stomata on just a small sample. I wonder if by having this many stomata on its leaf help it to be a successful drought tolerant plant. The shape of the guard cells do look like lips, fat lips that is. Hehehehe. It would be interesting to see if other leaves from different plants have similar or different looking/amount of stomata. Stay tune for more samples after I record some more videos and capture some images/gifs.

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_{Unless cited, all other images and gifs belong to @supersoju
Reference and further reading:
Rhoeo Discolour
Growing Rhoeo Plants In The Garden}