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The study of the structure of the pollen presenter of Taraxacum officinale and morphology of pollen grains was conducted based on plant material sampled from three different sites. One of them was a forest meadow situated away from the city, and the other two were located in the city centre of Lublin. Light and electron scanning microscopy were used in the study. The pollen presenter in Taraxacum officinale occurs at the upper part of the style situated over the androecium and on the outer part of the stigma. Numerous unicellular trichomes are found on the entire surface of the epidermis of the presenter. The function of the presenter consists in transferring pollen grains above the androecium and corolla petals. Its activity does not stop after pollen release from anthers. Taraxacum pollen grains represent the Crepis - type. Most frequently, they are tricolporate, radially symmetric and isopolar. In terms of the size, they are included in medium-sized grains. In the material examined, many deformed and asymmetric grains were observed, though they were marked by high viability at the level of 96.5-99%. Grains with the largest average lengths of the equatorial and polar axes were found in plants sampled from the meadow situated out of town. In the plant material from all sites, grains with disturbances of the external structure occurred.

In its stems and leaves, Heracleum sosnovskii Manden. contains furanocoumarins, which exert a phototoxic effect on humans. The aim of the investigations was to describe the external secretory structures of the epidermis and internal secretory tissues in organs responsible for emission of secretion that is toxic to human skin. The study was conducted using light and fluorescence microscopy. On the stems and leaves, various types of secretory trichomes with dispersed or deposited secretion were found. The trichomes were most abundant on the abaxial leaf surface. Epidermal cells and the secretion present on the trichomes exhibited intense fluorescence, which may indicate the presence of furanocoumarins in the tissue and trichome secretions.

The intensely fragrant flowers of the Rosa rugosa Thunb. have been applied in medicine, and food and cosmetic industries. The species is cultivated for production of rose essential oil (Oleum Rosae) from its flowers. R. rugosa petals secrete the largest quantities of essential oil. The aim of the study was to identify the characteristics of the epidermis of both sides of the petal and to observe whether adaxial and abaxial epidermal cells can secrete essential oil. The investigations were conducted using light and scanning electron microscopy. The analyses were focused on petal thickness and characteristics of the mesophyll. The study has demon- strated that only adaxial epidermal cells form conical papillae covered by massive cuticular striae. The surface of the papillae displayed remnants of a secretory substance. In turn, the inner walls of the abaxial epidermal cells were flat and covered by a striated cuticle, which exhibited various striation patterns. Frarant substances stored under the cuticle caused local stretching thereof and disappearance of striation. The results of our observations allow a statement that the cells of the adaxial and abaxial epidermis of R. rugosa petals differ in terms of the structure and they secrete fragrant substances.