FIGURE 1.

Preparation and embedding of plant material for scanning. (A–G) Rooted plant preparation and embedding; (A,B) Pre-preparation of plant material; (A) Plant transferred by petrolatum coated inoculating loop to blotting paper. (B) Plant rinsed in mineral oil then transferred to blotting. (C–G) Rooted plant embedding (C) Syringe barrel cap cut and removed, and barrel two thirds filled with molten petrolatum. (D) Plant transferred to syringe with loop and allowed to partially solidify. (E) Additional molten petrolatum added to barrel, covering plant. (F) Syringe transferred to ice bath. (G) Syringe plunged, and petrolatum core trimmed to region of interest (ROI). (H–O) Rootless plant embedding and preparation; (H,I) Pre-preparation of plant material; (H) Plants removed from media and transferred to blotting paper, (I) Plants rinsed in mineral oil and decanted to blotting paper. (J–O) Rootless plant embedding (J) Syringe barrel cap cut and removed and cut in half along barrel length, two thirds filled with molten petrolatum and allowed to cool. (K) Small plants pressed gently into petrolatum with inoculating loop. (L) Plunger replaced and barrel resealed with microporous tape. (M) Remainder of syringe filled with molten petrolatum. (N) Petrolatum allowed to solidify, cooling in ice bath. (O) Syringe plunged and petrolatum core trimmed to ROI.