Caption

Ammophila arenaria leaf. Light micrograph of a section through a marram grass (Ammophila arenaria) leaf in fluorescence light, showing the characteristics that help reduce water loss. The outer epidermis consists of a layer of thick cuticle and layers of thick walled sclerenchyma (green), while the inner epidermis is folded and hairy to trap water vapour. Chloroplasts (dark-red), phloem (blue) and xylem vessels (green) can also be seen. Microscopic contrast technique : Incident fluorescence with ultraviolet excitation. Magnification: 180x when printed 10 centimetres wide.