Micromorphological and biological features of the Betonica officinalis L. under the crop rotation conditions of the experimental field Vilar

In the conditions of the agrocenosis of the Non-Chernozem zone, the Betonica officinalis begins to grow soon after the snow melts, it is distinguished by long flowering (25-27 days). The Betonica officinalis goes through all the phenological phases of development (spring regrowth, budding, flowering, fruiting, death of the aerial part). For the first time, a micromorphological analysis of the epidermis of the leaf blade of the Betonica officinalis grown under field crop rotation was carried out. On the upper epidermis, the glands are very rare, they have 4 secretory cells and are located mainly in the middle part of the leaf closer to the central vein. On the adaxial side of the leaves, the number of stomata per 1 mm2 is 254.79±17.31. The cell walls are oblong-rounded. On the abaxial side of the leaf, the cell walls have a sinuous shape. The number of stomata per 1 mm2 is 560.51±34.18 pieces. The length of trichomes on the adaxial side of the leaf is 394.83±40.21 µm. The density of their distribution on the upper epidermis is higher than on the lower one and is 343.76±13.71 µm. On the abaxial side of the leaf are larger stomata and essential oil glands. The diameter of the glands on the lower epidermis is 51.27±48.23 µm, and their number is 114.64±10.35 pieces/mm2. The variability of the studied structural elements of the leaf epidermis varies: low (the number of basic epidermal cells, the number of stomata on both sides of the leaf and their size); medium (the number of glandular trichomes and glands on the abaxial surface of the leaf blade and their sizes); high (the number of glandular trichomes and glands on the adaxial surface of the leaf blade and their size). The results obtained can be used in further studies on the ecology of this species.