Canna edulis is a ornamental plant used in many countries how alternative nutritional source. This work describes the development of the radicular cortex from anatomical observations of apical region. In the region situated at 220µm from the promeristem, apical meristematic tissues at once present themselves organized in protoderm, ground meristem and procambium. During the subsequent phase of cellular differentiation, at 450µm from the promeristem, cell layers of the cortex are arranged in radial tiers to be initiated in the endodermis, indicating the presence of meristematic endodermis activity. After finishing divisions, endodermic initial acquire Casparian strips. In the root at 1,700µm from of promeristem, primary tissues are immediately differentiated, the pattern of cellular distribution being observed in the cortex of Canna edulis, a characteristic of that is found in other species of Zingiberales. The anatomical observations lead to the conclusion that 2/3 of the cortex is originated of endodermis with meristematic activity, and the remainder are originated from ground meristem.
root apex; Canna; endodermis with meristematic activity
