Effect of vehicular pollution on micro-morphological structure of road side plant species, Lantana camara.

Vehicular pollution, Epidermal cell, Stomata, Trichomes, Micro-morphology.

Effect of vehicular emissions on road side plant species Lantana camara, has been studied with special reference to epidermal characteristics of leaves. Lantana camara is a heavily branched shrub that can grow in compact clumps, dense thickets or as a climbing vine. The light microscopic studies of this plant indicated marked alternation in epidermal traits, with increased number of stomata, epidermal cells and trichomes per unit area and decreased length and width of stomata guard cells, epidermal cells and trichomes on both abaxial and adaxial surface of leaf collected from polluted site than those of control ones. These changes in micro-morphological structures could be an indicator of environmental stress caused due to urban air pollution. These characters could be used in the monitoring of urban air quality.