Abstract

REDEFINING STELAR THEORY AND DEFINING THREE NEW STELAR TYPES AND A NEW STELAR SUBTYPE

*A. B. D. Selvam

ABSTRACT

The species of the genus Aconitum are collectively and commonly known as Aconites. The tuberous roots of majority of the Aconites are deadly poisonous. Since ancient times, the roots of Aconites are being used in folk, tribal and traditional systems of medicine after detoxification using customary methods. The anatomy of the tuberous roots of Aconites shows some unusual anomalous structural features, which may be used to identify or authenticate them when they are traded in crude form. The present research paper highlights some of the interesting stelar structures observed in the tuberous root anatomy of Aconites. In the light of the above, a century old extant stelar theory is modified and redefined. In addition, four new stelar terminologies are coined and proposed, viz., Stellostele, Pseudostele, Anomalostele and Sparsophloic confractostele.

Keywords: Aconitum, Aconites, Plant anatomy, Stelar theory, Stelar terminology.