The leaves of Eriobotrya japonica , Rosaceae, popularly known as loquat, are used in folk medicine for their hypoglycemic properties and to treat cutaneous diseases. The aim of this work was to study the leaf morpho-anatomy of the drug for pharmacognostic and taxonomic purposes. The botanical material was prepared for the usual optical and scanning microtechniques. The leaves are simple, alternate and lanceolate, with entire blade and dentate margins. The epidermis is uniseriate and coated by a thick and slightly striated cuticle. Both surfaces are hairy, particularly the lower, with long unicellular non-glandular trichomes. Anomocytic stomata occur exclusively on the lower surface. The mesophyll is dorsiventral and the small bundles are collateral and may present sheath extensions. The midrib has got biconvex shape and the petiole round contour, both showing amphicrival bundles. Idioblasts containing calcium oxalate crystals, mucilage and phenolic compounds were observed.
Eriobotrya japonica; Rosaceae; loquat; japanese medlar; morpho-anatomy