Gynoecium, Asarum canadense
This is a transverse section on the centerline of the Gynoecium of Asarum canadense, or wild ginger. The vascular bundles surrounding the columella have stained red. The cell walls of some specific ovarian tissue have stained very deep red from the Safranin-O. There are 6 carpels, each of which contain an ovary.
The protocol was as follows. Specimens fixed in FAA (formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) 48 hr. Dehydrated in 35, 50, 75, 85, 95, 99 % IPA in water, 6 hours each min. Infiltrated in xylene saturated with Paraplast for 2 days, followed by 2 changes of melted Praplast for 2 hours each. Embedded in Paraplast. Sectioned on a Spencer 820 microtome at 11 micron. Cleared in xylene, 5 min, 2X. Rehydrated in 99, 95, 80, 70 %IPA. Stained in Johansen's Safranin-O, Fast Green (24 hours in Safranin-O, 15 sec. in fast green). Cleared 2 X in xylene 10 min each and mounted with DPEX.
Photographed on a Spencer 42 petrographic polarizing microscope using an original magnification of , using a Sony NEX 5N with a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.
Gynoecium, Asarum canadense
This is a transverse section on the centerline of the Gynoecium of Asarum canadense, or wild ginger. The vascular bundles surrounding the columella have stained red. The cell walls of some specific ovarian tissue have stained very deep red from the Safranin-O. There are 6 carpels, each of which contain an ovary.
The protocol was as follows. Specimens fixed in FAA (formaldehyde, acetic acid, ethanol) 48 hr. Dehydrated in 35, 50, 75, 85, 95, 99 % IPA in water, 6 hours each min. Infiltrated in xylene saturated with Paraplast for 2 days, followed by 2 changes of melted Praplast for 2 hours each. Embedded in Paraplast. Sectioned on a Spencer 820 microtome at 11 micron. Cleared in xylene, 5 min, 2X. Rehydrated in 99, 95, 80, 70 %IPA. Stained in Johansen's Safranin-O, Fast Green (24 hours in Safranin-O, 15 sec. in fast green). Cleared 2 X in xylene 10 min each and mounted with DPEX.
Photographed on a Spencer 42 petrographic polarizing microscope using an original magnification of , using a Sony NEX 5N with a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.