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Morphological Studies on Amaranthus cruentus
Author(s) -
IRVING D. WOOD,
BETSCHART A. A.,
SAUNDERS R. M.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1981.tb03017.x
Subject(s) - amaranthus cruentus , biology , amaranth , food science
ABSTRACT The morphology of Amaranthus cruentus was studied using scanning election and light microscopy. The A. cruentus seed consists of a single layer of cells which is intimately associated with the perispeim. In the region of the embryo, the seed coat is attached to the endosperm remaining in the mature seed. The major portion of endosperm caps the root. Large, thick‐walled endosperm cells contain spherical bodies embedded in a spongy matrix. The cells of the campylotropous embryo contain material which has properties typical of lipid and lipid complexes as demonstrated by hexane extraction and by staining with osmium tetroxide. Spherical cell bodies, embedded in the lipid‐containing matrix are partially digested by trypsin, thus suggesting they are proteinaceous in nature. Perisperm in the center of the seed contains starch granules in the form of amylopectin, demonstrated by iodine‐potassium iodide stain and α‐amylase digestion.