Practical 3: Transverse section of cinnamon bark, fennel fruit, and clove flower

bud as well as the characteristic of cinnamon powder.

Aim:
a) To perform the transverse sections of cinnamon bark and observe its’ microscopic
characteristics (lignified cells, pericyclic fibers, stone cells, starch, calcium oxalate
crystals and cork cells). In addition, the characteristics of cinnamon powder are also
observed.
b) To perform the transverse section of fennel fruit and observe its microscopic
characteristics (lignified reticulate parenchyma of mesocarp and vascular bundles,
aleurone grains, and oil globules in the cells of endosperm and cuticle).
c) To perform the transverse sections of clove flower bud and observe its microscopic
characteristics (vascular bundles and fibers, eugenol of volatile oil, cuticle, oil glands,
calcium oxalate crystals and tannins in cortex region).

Apparatus and materials:

Watch glass, knife, microscope, microscope glass, brush, cinnamon bark, cinnamon
powder, potatoes, fennel fruit, clove flower bud, distilled water, phloroglucinol
solution, conc. HCl, iodine solution, glacial acetic acid, alcoholic picric acid solution,
Sudan red-III solution, iodine solution, dilute potassium hydroxide solution, dilute
hydrochloric acid, ferric chloride solution (5%) and glycerine.

Procedures:
*Glycerine was added to each microscopic glass to provide a clearer observation
under a microscope.

Experiment 3a: Transverse section of cinnamon bark

1. Cinnamon bark was cut into small thin sections.
2. A thin section of cinnamon bark was transferred to the microscopic glass with a
brush.
3. One drop of phloroglucinol, one drop of concentrated HCl and a drop of glycerine
were added to the thin layer.
4. It was placed under a microscope and observed. All the observation and results
were recorded.
5. Step 2 & 3 were repeated using iodine solution as first and glacial acetic acid as
the next.
6. Cinnamon powder was taken and mixed with one drop of phloroglucinol and one
drop of concentrated HCl.
7. It was placed on the microscopic glass with glycerine on it and observed under the
microscope.
8. The observation and result were recorded.
Experiment 3b: Transverse section of fennel fruit
1. A piece of fennel fruit was placed in the middle of the potato block as a support to
ease the cutting procedure.
2. The thin section of fennel fruit was transferred to the microscopic glass with a
brush. One drop of phloroglucinol, one drop of concentrated HCl and a drop of
glycerine were added to the thin layer.
3. It was placed under a microscope and observed. All the observation and results
were recorded.
4. Step 2 & 3 were repeated using alcoholic picric acid solution as first and Sudan
red-III solution as the next.

Experiment 3c: Transverse section of clove flower bud

1. Clove flower bud was cut into small thin sections.
2. A thin section of clove flower bud was transferred to the microscopic glass with a
brush. One drop of phloroglucinol, one drop of concentrated HCl and a drop of
glycerine were added to the thin layer.
3. It was placed under a microscope and observed. All the observation and results
were recorded.
4. Step 2 & 3 were repeated for another 4 times using potassium hydroxide solution
as first, Sudan red-III solution as second, dilute HCl as third and ferric chloride
solution (5%) as the fourth.

Observations:
(3a) Transverse section of cinnamon bark

No Reagents Observation under microscope Characteristics

1 1 drop of Lignified cells:
phloroglucinol & pericyclic fibers,
1 drop of conc. stone cells, cork
HCl cells.
Pink colour
2 1 drop of iodine Starch.
solution Blue colour

3 Glacial acetic acid Calcium oxalate

crystals.
Insoluble

Cinnamon Powder
4 1 drop of Cork cells, phloem
phloroglucinol & fibers and oil
1 drop of conc. globule
HCl
(3b) Transverse section of fennel fruit

No Reagents Observation under microscope Characteristics

1 1 drop of Lignified reticulate
phloroglucinol & 1 parenchyma of
drop of conc. HCl mesocarp and
vascular bundles.
Pink colour

2 1 drop of alcoholic Aleurone grains.

picric acid solution Yellow colour

3 Sudan red-III Oil globules in the

solution cells of endosperm
and cuticle.
Red colour
(3c) Transverse section of clove flower bud

No Reagents Observation under microscope Characteristics

1 1 drop of Vascular bundles
phloroglucinol & and fibers.
1 drop of conc. Pink colour
HCl

2 1 drop of Eugenol of volatile

potassium oil.
hydroxide solution Needle shaped
potassium eugenate
crystals are seen.

3 Sudan red-III Cuticle, oil glands.

solution Red colour

4 1 drop of dilute Calcium oxalate

HCl crystals.
Soluble crystals
5 1 drop of ferric Tannins in cortex
chloride solution region.
(5%) Dark colour

Conclusion:
It can be concluded that, for the transverse section of cinnamon bark and cinnamon
powder, the microscopic characteristics were observed under the microscope as
followed:-
Test 1: Lignified cells such as pericyclic fibers, stone cells and cork cells were
observed as pink colour.
Test 2: starch (blue colour)
Test 3: insoluble calcium oxalate crystals.
Test 4: cork cells, phloem fibers and oil globule.

For transverse section of fennel fruit, the following microscopic characteristics were
observed:-
Test 1: lignified xylem reticulate parenchyma of mesocarp and vascular bundles were
observed in pink colour.
Test 2: Aleurone grains which is blue in colour.
Test 3: Oil globules in the cells of endosperm and cuticle which were observed as red
colour

For transverse section of clove flower bud, the following characteristics were
observed under the microscope:-
Test 1: pink colour vascular bundles and fibers
Test 2: Eugenol of volatile oil and needle shaped potassium eugenate crystals are seen
Test 3: red colour cuticle and oil glands.
Test 4: soluble crystals of calcium oxalate crystals
Test 5: Tannins in cortex region which is in dark colour