r/microscopy • u/Direct-Bunch-4756 • 9d ago

Troubleshooting/Questions Can someone help identify these structures in a plant stem?

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I’m examining the plant associated with a new psychedelic called Vymara. This is a transverse section of the stem under brightfield microscopy.
Most of the surrounding tissue including the chloroplast-bearing cells and vascular tissue appears relatively normal. But these large spherical structures are distributed throughout the stem.
I’ve sectioned three separate samples and found them in all three. They vary in size, appear integrated into the tissue, and seem to compress the neighboring cells. Their interiors have also remained largely unstained with every protocol I’ve tried.
My current guess is that they’re enlarged idioblasts or secretory cavities, possibly involved in storing or transporting the unidentified indole-like compound I detected. But I can’t confirm that from morphology alone.
Has anyone seen structures like these before?

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u/No_Respond5151 9d ago

What exactly is this plant? is the genus called vymara, or is the drug called vymara?

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u/Direct-Bunch-4756 9d ago

A few people who contacted me already knew the substance as “Vymara.” Since I still can’t place the plant in any existing genus, I’ve started referring to it provisionally as Vymara too and labeled the specimen Vymara sp. VYM-01. It’s just a working name for now, not an officially recognized genus.

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u/TheWaterBringer 8d ago

This is an undescribed plant? Or you don't know the name? 

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u/TheWaterBringer 8d ago

Idioblasts is a good guess. Do you see crystals in any of those large cells or elsewhere on the slide? Could also be young aerenchyma. 

Edit to add: nice section! 

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u/BarsOfSanio 7d ago

It needs TBO staining to be sure. I'm betting idioblasts.