2001 Volume 41 Issue 2 Pages 57-64
Three-dimensional observation of plant vascular bundle is important for students to understand the function of the vascular bundle as a duct of water and nutrients in connection with photosynthesis and the respiration of plants. In this study, we applied a low-vacuum scanning electron microscope (LV-SEM) college biology. Our preliminary LV-SEM observations of vascular bundles using several herbaceous dicotyledons revealed that the stem of Clematis ternifiora DC. was 1Jseful as a material to show a typical vascular bundle of herbaceous dicotyledons, and it was also convenient to prepare its cross and vertical sections with a razor blade for LV-SEM observation. Vascular bundle observation using C. ternifiora demonstrated that students operated LV-SEM easily, within a short period of time, and understood spatial relationship among cells constituting the vascular bundle. The present study suggests that LV-SEM is a very effective practice for the observation of plant vascular bundles in the university.
