Abstract
Differentiating process of stomata in tea leaves was studied with the helps of paradermal sections of immature and mature leaves. The guard cell mother cell and three subsidiary cells were produced from a protodermal cell by three times of unequal divisions of abaxial side in immature leaves, and the guard cell mother cell divided vertically forming two equal-shape guard cells. Normally, the mature stomata in tea leaves was anisocytic type. But, sometimes, the subsidiary cells surrounding the guard cell were increased by anticlinal divisions following the unequal divisions. Especially, a small numbers of stomata, maybe differentiated before leaf unfolding, were surrounded by 5-8 neighbouring subsidiary cells. Differentiation of stomata, however, began mostly from the leaf unfolding stage, and these completed at 12 days after unfolding.
