Ultrastructure of the suberized styloid crystal cells in Agave leaves

Abstract

Styloid calcium oxalate crystal idioblasts of Agave americana L. are suberized. Where the crystals do not touch the cell wall directly they are enclosed in a suberinic sheath which is connected with the suberinic wall layer. No polysaccharides are laid down as a tertiary wall layer, nor could any polysaccharides be found in the crystal sheath. These results contradict those of Arnott (1973) but agree fully with those of Rothert and Zalenski (1899).