The purpose of this research was to study the morpho-anatomical characteristics of the shoot system of Canna edulis. The observation of the buds and shoot system development were made during the vegetative cycle of the plant. The underground system is formed by fibrous adventitious roots originated from nodes and internodes of the rhizomes. These organs are oriented parallel to the surface of the ground, presenting a pattern of sympodial branching. The apical buds of the rhizomes are differentiated in reproductive stems, constituted by distinctive nodes and internodes. The base of this organ is constituted by cataphylls. The reproductive stem is formed by uniseriate epidermis, and in the subepidermical position there are cells with Casparian strips. The adult rhizome consists of the epidermis, cortex with a clear endodermis and vascular cylinder delimited by pluriseriate pericycle. Although the morphological characteristics of the shoot system of this plant agree with recent descriptions applied to the rhizophore, the underground stem of this species was interpreted as a rhizome.
anatomy; buds; Canna; morphology; rhizomes
