Anatomy and identification of five indigenous rattan species of Ghana

Stem anatomy of Calamus deeratus, Eremospatha hookeri, Eremospatha macrocarpa, Laccosperma acutiflorum and Laccosperma secundiflorum growing naturally in Ghana were investigated to explore the possibility of using anatomical features to distinguish between them. Although the anatomy of all the stems of the five species investigated exhibited a common monocotyledonous structure, they differed considerably in many of their anatomical features. Anatomical features of taxonomic and diagnostic significance at genus level included: the number of metaxylem vessels and phloem fields in a vascular bundle and type of ground parenchyma. However, the most important anatomical features to distinguish species are the epidermal cell size and shape. A combination of several anatomical features is used to develop a tentative identification key to the five rattan species occurring naturally in Ghana