Gynoecium, Asarum canadense
This is a transverse section on the centerline of the gynoecium of Asarum canadense, or wild ginger. There are 6 carpels surrounding the columella. The carpels each 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 2X, 10 min each. Rehydrated 99 (10 min), 95, 85, 70 % IPA, 2 min. each. Stained Gill's Hematoxylin 20 sec. Washed 3 min running water. Blued 0.05 % lithium carbonate 30 s. Water rinse 1 min. Stained 1 % aq. Eosin-Y 1 min. Dehydrated 99 % IPA 2 min. Cleared 2X xyene 5 min each. Mounted with DEPEX.
Photographed on a Spencer 42 petrographic polarizing microscope using an original magnification of 30X , 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. There are 6 carpels surrounding the columella. The carpels each 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 2X, 10 min each. Rehydrated 99 (10 min), 95, 85, 70 % IPA, 2 min. each. Stained Gill's Hematoxylin 20 sec. Washed 3 min running water. Blued 0.05 % lithium carbonate 30 s. Water rinse 1 min. Stained 1 % aq. Eosin-Y 1 min. Dehydrated 99 % IPA 2 min. Cleared 2X xyene 5 min each. Mounted with DEPEX.
Photographed on a Spencer 42 petrographic polarizing microscope using an original magnification of 30X , using a Sony NEX 5N with a Leica MIKAS 1/3X adapter.