%0 Journal Article
%A Ling-Long Kuo-Huang
%A Tsair-Bor Yen and Shian-Cheun Chen
%T Formation of Calcium Oxalate and Calcium Carbonate Depositions in the Leaves of Ficus pumila L. var. awkeotsang (Makino) Corner
%D 2002
%J Taiwania
%V 47
%N 1
%P 1-10
%U https://taiwania.ntu.edu.tw/abstract/306
%X By using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, the composition, shape and localization of calcium depositions in the leaves of Ficus pumila L. var. awkeotsang (Makino) Corner were studied. In the mature leaves, many calcium oxalate and calcium carbonate were accumulated. All calcium carbonate depositions (cystoliths) were found in the lithocysts of the lower epidermis. The calcium oxalate crystals were in forms of druses or prismatic crystals. Most of the druse crystals were located sporadically in the cells of palisade mesophyll, while the prismatic crystals were found in the crystal cells of the bundle sheath. The formation of these two kinds of calcium deposits was related to the levels of calcium supply. The size of calcium carbonate depositions increased with the calcium concentration, but the density of lithocysts was not affected by different concentrations of calcium supply. Nevertheless, the density of calcium oxalate crystals was higher in high calcium solutions.
%M doi:10.6165/tai.2002.47(1).1