Leaf Anatomy and Micromorphology Characteristics of Ketum [Mitragyna speciosa (Korth.) Havil.] (Rubiaceae)
Authors:   Resource Utilisation and Agrobiodiversity Conservation Programme (BE2), Agrobiodiversity and Environment Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, Ghazalli Mohd Norfaizal , Md Sah Muhammad Shafie ,   Resource Utilisation and Agrobiodiversity Conservation Programme (BE2), Agrobiodiversity and Environment Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, Mat Mazidah ,   Pest and Diseases Programme (IC3), Industrial Crops Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, Awang Khadijah ,   Breeding Programme (IC1), Industrial Crops Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, Jaafar Mohd Azwan ,   Agri-Omics and Bioinformatics Programme (BN1), Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, Mirad Razali ,   Resource Utilisation and Agrobiodiversity Conservation Programme (BE2), Agrobiodiversity and Environment Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, Zaini Ahmad Zaki ,   Electron Microscopy Unit, Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, Mohd Nordin Anuar Rasyidi ,   Resource Utilisation and Agrobiodiversity Conservation Programme (BE2), Agrobiodiversity and Environment Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, Mohd Rusli Nurshahidah ,   Resource Utilisation and Agrobiodiversity Conservation Programme (BE2), Agrobiodiversity and Environment Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, Mohamad Siti Sofiah ,   Breeding Programme (IC1), Industrial Crops Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia, Mohd Dalee Ahmad Syahman ,   Breeding Programme (IC1), Industrial Crops Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Published: April 2021

Mitragyna speciosa (Korth.) Havil. or locally known as ketum/daun sebiak/biakbiak belongs to Rubiaceae family and generally occurs in secondary forest or disturbed areas in tropical and subtropical region. This research enumerated the characterisation of Mitragyna speciosa leaf anatomy and micromorphology features which is still not well documented. This medium to large sized tree species characterised with opposite arrangement, ovate-acuminate leaf and with 12–17 pairs of veins. Transverse sections of petioles showed that this species has petiole outlines with slightly convex at the middle of the adaxial part and ‘U’-shaped on abaxial side. Results also showed that this species has paracytic and hypostomatic stomata, combination of non-glandular (majority) and glandular trichomes (minority), with observation on the secretory cells present in petiole and midrib parenchyma cells. Cuticle on the abaxial and adaxial epidermal surfaces showed the presence granule and wax films with periclinal and anticlinal walls can be differentiated clearly. The results obtained in this study can be used to providing additional systematics information of Mitragyna speciosa with the documentation of the leaf anatomy and micromorphology characters.