Page 57 - Pharmacognosy 02-06203

( N.B. ) Fennel fruits should contain not more than 1.5% of attached stalks and other
foreign organic matters and not less than 1.4% v/w essential oil.
The transverse cut surface shows: five primary ridges in each mericarp, in which a
fibrovascular bundle is present below each ridge, 6 brown vittae 4 in the dorsal side and
2 in the commissural side, large oily orthospermous endosperm and a small apical
embryo.

Microscopic characteristics:
I- Pericarp:

a- Epicarp consists of thick-walled rectangular polygonal cells with smooth
cuticle showing few anomocytic stomata and no hairs.
b- Mesocarp is formed of rather thick-walled parenchyma traversed by 6 large
vittae appearing elliptical in T.S. and having epithelial cells, and iii the ridges by
vascular bundles; each having 2 lateral phloem strands and an inner xylem
accompanied by an upper and lower groups of characteristic lignified reticulate
parenchyma. These thickened cells have large oval or rounded pits.
c- Endocarp is formed of a single layer of narrow flattened elongated cells
(varying in length) arranged parallel to each other and in groups of 5-7 cells,
forming parquet arrangement.
II- Seed:
a- Seed-coat is thin formed of brownish tangentially elongated cells

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