Anatomical study of Sarcostemma intermedium Decne. from the Northern Western Ghats of India

The Apocynaceae is an ethnomedicinally important plant family. The genus Sarcostemma finds a prominent ethnomedicinal plant used in different Indian systems of medicine. It has been used for medicinal use such as mental disorders, fever, viral infections, cardiac diseases, body swelling and jaundice; it has also been reported that at the time of scarcity of fodder because of less precipitation, this plant is used as fodder for domestic stock. It has also been reported antibacterial bioprospecting activity. The plant, Sarcostemma intermedium Decne. is a succulent perennial leafless, twining shrub, with a green cylindrical stem and milky white latex. The plant bears pedicellate flowers which are present in a terminal and axillary umbel inflorescence. The plant shows distinct anatomical circular vascular bundles in the stem. It shows the presence of rosettes shaped calcium oxalate crystals, pitted parenchyma, pitted xylem medullary rays and laticifers cells with white-colored latex. Intra-axillary phloem present periphery of pith cells. The very important tannin secondary metabolite deposition was noted in the cortex and pith region of the succulent stem. The morphological, as well as anatomical significant characteristics of S. intermedium, will be used as a plant taxonomical identification technique which would be of great value in the standardization and authentication of this plant species.