ILUSTRAÇÃO DE CARACTERES MICROSCÓPICOS DE DROGAS VEGETAIS PARA O CONTROLE DE QUALIDADE FARMACOGNÓSTICO. III. ERVA-MATE (Ilex paraguariensis A. ST.-HIL., AQUIFOLIACEAE)

Similarly to the previous papers that dealt with the illustration of anatomical characters, useful as an additional resource for the identification of pharmacopoeical vegetal drugs, this work has aimed to illustrate the anatomical structures of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil., Aquifoliaceae). This species is considered medicinal, being described in pharmacopoeical monographies, and relevant for the food industry. The plant material was collected at the Jardim Botânico Municipal de Curitiba and identified by a taxonomist. For semi-permanent slides, leaf samples were fixed, sectioned transversal and longitudinally, and stained. Among the structures depicted, this study shows hypostomatic leaf, having predominantly anomocytic stomata on the same level as the surrounding cells. The mesophyll is dorsiventral and the midrib is biconvex, showing one collateral vascular bundle in centric arrangement. Druses and prisms of calcium oxalate are present