On the Differentiation of Casparian Dots of the Endodermis in the Crown Roots of Rice Plant

Abstract

Observations with ordinary microscope show that the casparian dots differentiate at the very near parts from the root tips as typical small dots on the radial wall of the endodermis (Fig. 1). The phenomena of bandplasmolysis induced with alcohol reagent is also confirmed (Fig. 2). Further studies with electron microscopy reveal that the morphogenetical process of casparian dots is carried on at the radial wall from its very initiation to the quite differentiated state (Fig. 7, 8, 9, and 10). This fact is something contrary with the suggestion described by Van Fleet¹⁶⁾ on observation genus Smilax. The casparian dots, which are not distinguishable with ordinary microscope in the basal part of root, were confirmed to be covered under thickened secondary wall (Fig. 14, 16). The electron micrographs (Fig. 12, 13) also clear up that the partial plasmamembrane of the endodermal cell unify itself together with the casparian dots. This fact no doubt will give the morphological evidence to the unique phenomena of bandplasmolysis through casparian dots of endodermal cells.