Morphoanatomy of leaves, stems and roots from Smallanthus macroscyphus (Asteraceae)

Abstract

— Coll Aráoz, M. V.; Mercado, M. I.; Grau, A. y Ponessa, G. I. 2008. “Morphoanatomy of leaves, stems and roots from Smallanthus macroscyphus (Asteraceae)”. Lilloa 45 (1-2). Smallanthus macroscyphus commonly known as “yacón del campo” (wild yacón) is a native specie from the Yungas from South Bolivia to Nothwest Argentina, that is closely related to Smallanthus sonchifolius, “yacón”, a specie with growing agroindustrial importance due to its wide range of uses as medicinal and nutritional food. The morphoanatomy of S. macroscyphus was studied because the leaves present similar pharmacologic effect S. Sonchifolius and could be employed in mixtures with this specie to achive improvements in the activity of the medicinal tea or as a genetic source for crossbreeding with “yacón”. Smallanthus macroscyphus presents foliar morphological characters that allow its identification, yellowish-green leaves, actinodrome suprabasal primary venation, eroso-irregular margin and petiole with wings that become narrow when they reach the foliar base. Anatomical characters did not present diagnosis value for the identification of wild yacón from Smallanthus sonchifolius. In contrast to the tuberous roots from S. Sonchifolius, the roots from S.macroscyphus rarely exceed 2 cm in diameter and do not seem to have nutritional potential because they are fibrous and not palatable.