Scanning electron microscopy in the analysis of Malva pusilla Sm.

Introduction. As an additional method to clarify the topography and structural features of structures that are important in assessing the authenticity of a plant object, modern high-precision methods have recently been resorted to, which include scanning electron microscopy. Aim. The purpose of the work was to analyse the morphology of the surface of the Malva pusilla Sm. by scanning electron microscopy. Materials and methods. The study was conducted on the Malva pusilla Sm., an herb growing in the Voronezh Region and harvested during mass flowering in 2023. The morphology of the surface of Malva pusilla Sm. was performed by scanning electron microscopy (JSM-6510LV JEOL electron microscope, Japan) after spraying a graphite nanofilm onto it in vacuum using a carbon filament. Results and discussion. Scanning electron microscopy made it possible to study the surface relief of the object under study. The topography of the trichomes of the upper side of the leaf and the structure of the base, consisting of a rosette of epidermal cells slightly elevated above the epidermis, have been clarified. On the underside of the leaf, the presence of numerous glandular trichomes was revealed, including a single or bicellular pedicle and a multicellular head, the cells of which collapse during drying of plant raw materials. The epidermal cells of the sepals are strongly sinuous, and the cell walls have clearly visible thickenings. The stomata are large, numerous, and occur on both sides of the leaf and the sepals of the plant. With the help of micro-X-ray structural analysis, it was established that potassium and calcium are the major elements. Potassium and magnesium are mainly localized in the tissues of the upper side and petals of the calyx, calcium and sulfur in the tissues of the lower side of the leaf, phosphorus in the tissues of the petals of the calyx. Conclusion. The paper clarifies and supplements the description of morphological features, and also presents for the first time the results of a study of the Malva pusilla Sm. grass using scanning electron microscopy. Thanks to the use of a high-precision analysis method, the main morphological features of the Malva pusilla Sm. have been visualized and topographed, and the structure of diagnostically significant structures has been clarified. Microroentgenstructural analysis in a specific area of the facility made it possible to identify the composition of the main macro- and microelements and establish the prevailing amount of potassium and calcium.