Fresh leaves of Tephrosia villosa andCassia tora (Linn.)were collected from the local area around Ajmer, Rajasthan (India). A herbarium specimen of each plant has been deposited at the Department of Botany, Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan Government College Ajmer.

Collected fresh leaves of plantsTephrosia villosa andCassia tora (Linn.) were washed with water and cleared of foreign matter and other contaminants. Microscopic evaluation was done by using standard methods.

The chemicals like lactic acid, trichloroacetic acid, phenol, safranin, glycerine, distilled water etc. were used. The entire chemical, used in experiments were of analytical grade.

The fresh leaves of both plants were evaluated for various organoleptic parameters such as the shape, size, colour, margin, texture, apex, presence or absence of petiole, phyllotaxy etc.

The histological features such as structure of epidermal cells, structure, distribution and type of stomata, structure and distribution of trichomes on the fresh leaves have been analyzed.

For the quantitative microscopy the number of epidermal cell, number of stomata and stomatal index for both abaxial and adaxial surfaces of the leaves were determined according to method of Mohan Ram and Nayyar7 with slight modifications. Entire fresh leaves were soaked in the mixture of trichloroacetic acid and phenol in the proportion of 2:1 for 15-60 min at 60˚C temperature. The cleared leaves were flooded with pure lactic acid and kept at 60˚C temperature for various time periods and were then washed with water. Cleared leaves were stained with safranin, mounted with glycerin and observed under compound microscope. The quantitative estimations were carried out by using methods of Salisbury (1927); 8; 9; 10

Epidermal cell number: The average number of epidermal cells per square millimeter unit of epidermis is termed as epidermal cell number.

Stomatal number: The average number of stomata per square millimeter of epidermis is termed as stomatal number.

Stomatal index: The percentage of number of stomata to the total number of epidermal cells (wherein each stomata also is considered to be a single epidermal cell), is termed as stomatal index. The stomatal Index was calculated using the standard formula given below.

Stomatal Index (S.I.) =S*100/S+E

S = quantity of stomata per unit area and E = number of ordinary epidermal cells in the same unit area 1112.

The quantitative parameters have been subjected to statistical analysis and expressed as Mean ± SEM.

The results of the macroscopic and organoleptic examination established that the plant Tephrosia villosa is an annual gregarious, erect bushy herb. Stem and branches angular, densely hairy with white appressed hairs. Leaves cauline and ramal, odor less, pinnately compound (imparipinnate), stipulate (free lateral). Leaflets alternate/opposite/ superposed, sessile, entire margin with dense hairs, oblanceolate in shape, apex emarginate, 10-14, pale green, more or less glabrous on upper surface and densely hairy on lower surface, having reticulate unicostate venation. Trichomes (hairs) are unicellular with glandular base. Figure 1.

The results of the examination reveals that the plant Cassia tora (Linn.) an annual herbaceous malodorous herb or under shrub. Stem is cylindrical, branched and grows in rainy season. Leaves cauline and ramal, pinnately compound (paripinnate), stipulate (free lateral). Leaflets are alternate/ Opposite/Superposed, numbers are 6, Obovate, entire margin with dense hairs, apex obtuse, dark green on adaxial surface and light green on abaxial surface, glabrous on adaxial surface and some trichomes are present on abaxial surface, conical shaped gland present at the base of lower leaflet. Terminal leaflet are larger than lower leaflet with dimension 10.29±0.95 and 4.07 ±0.23 respectively and having reticulate unicostate venation. Trichomes are unicellular. Figure 2, Table 1.

The results of the micromorphology reveal that the leaves of Tephrosia villosaconsists of amphistomatic type of stomata (stomata found equally upon the both surfaces). The epidermal peeling of both adaxial and abaxial surfaces of leaves consists of small polygonal, thin walled epidermal cells and paracytic stomata which were surrounded by 2 or 3 subsidiary cells on either side of the guard cells and were parallel to stomata. Trichomes were absent on adaxial surfaces. Dense, white, silky and unicellular trichomes with glandular base were present on adaxial surface and leaf margin. Figure 3.

The results of the micromorphology of the leaves of Cassia toraare that stomata were present more on upper surface and less on its lower surface. The epidermal peeling of both adaxial and abaxial surfaces of leaves consists of small polygonal, thin walled epidermal cells and paracytic stomata which were surrounded by 2 or 3 subsidiary cells on either side of the guard cells and were parallel to stomata. Trichomes were absent on upper surface. Dense, unicellular trichomes were present on entire margin where few trichomes present on lower surface. Figure 4.

The quantitative analysis shows that the number of epidermal cells is 78.5±0.57and 69.7±0.83, stomata number is 13.9±0.5 and 15.5±0.36, stomata index is 15.02±0.50 and 18.19±0.4for adaxial and abaxial surfaces respectively for the leaves of Tephrosia villosa.

The results of quantitative analysis of leaves ofCassia tora (Linn.) reveals the number of epidermal cells is 51.4±0.7and 50.7±0.5, stomata number is 12.1±0.5and 10.1±0.37, stomata index is 19±0.49and 16.59±0.53for adaxial and abaxial surfaces respectively. Table 2, Figure 5.